Canada

Prevention and reduction of plastic waste generation

Charge for single-use plastic products (e.g. shopping bags, straws)

Canada’s comprehensive zero plastic waste agenda

· Proposed ban on harmful single use plastic items

Targeted products:

Plastic checkout bags, straws, stir sticks, ringed beverage carriers, cutlery, and foodservice ware made from hard-to-recycle plastics

Brief description:

In October 2020, Canada announced the next steps in its agenda to achieve zero plastic waste by 2030. One of these steps is a proposed ban on harmful single-use plastic items where there is evidence that they are found in the environment, are often not recycled, and have readily available alternatives. Based on those criteria, the six items the Government proposes to ban or restrict are plastic checkout bags, straws, stir sticks, ringed beverage carriers, cutlery, and foodservice ware made from hard-to-recycle plastics.

A range of tools are in place at the sub-national level to reduce plastic waste including: extended producer responsibility programs for packaging, take back programs, access to curbside and depot recycling programs, landfill bans as well as bans or levies on single use plastics. For instance, the Northwest Territories requires retailers to charge CA 25 cents for single use bags. Companies have also instituted fees to consumers for plastic bags, switched to available alternatives, implemented bans on certain single use plastics or provide rebates for reusable containers.

We do not see any particular trend

Comments:

It is too early to measure the performance of the proposed ban or restrictions on harmful single use plastics but positive outcomes are anticipated.

Actions for encouraging sustainable / circular product design

Canada’s comprehensive zero plastic waste agenda

· National product standards

· Greening operations and procurement

· Canadian Plastics Innovation Challenges

· Extended producer responsibility programs

· Value-retention processes

Brief description:

Canada’s comprehensive agenda to reduce plastic waste and pollution embraces a resource efficient and circular economy approach to address the entire plastics value chain. ‎This includes activities that help to prevent and reduce plastic generation such as:

· proposed recycled content requirements in products and packaging;

· reducing plastic waste from federal operations, by diverting 75% of plastic waste by 2030; eliminating unnecessary use of single-use plastics; and, purchasing more sustainable products;

· investing in innovation through the Canadian Plastics Innovation Challenges; and,

· working with and supporting industry to improve product design and the recovery of all plastics.

In June 2021, Canada published the Socio-Economic and Environmental Study on Remanufacturing and Other Value-Retention Processes in Canada for public comment. The Government of Canada will develop a national strategy to encourage the remanufacturing of products and other value-retention processes such as refurbishment, repair and reuse.

The federal, provincial and territorial governments are also working together to:

· achieve consistent extended producer responsibility programs across Canada;

· develop a roadmap to address single-use and disposable plastics;

· establish national performance requirements for plastic products and packaging (e.g. standards for recycled content and bio-based plastics);

· support recycling infrastructure and innovation in plastics manufacturing;

· develop a roadmap that identifies sectors for strengthened value retention processes; and,

· develop guidelines and tools for green procurement practices.

We do not see any particular trend

Comments:

Since 2018, through the Zero Plastic Waste Initiative, 12 industry and non-profit organizations have received over CA $2.7 million to advance innovative and sector specific solutions that improve the sustainable design and production of plastics, strengthen secondary markets and support Canada’s transition to a circular plastics economy.

Canadian Plastics Innovation Challenges presented in section 3.4.

Numerical data if any:

It is too early to measure the performance of these initiatives but positive outcomes are anticipated.

Regulation on microplastics

Canada’s comprehensive zero plastic waste agenda

· Microbeads in Toiletries Regulations

· Listing microbeads on Schedule 1 to the Canadian Environmental Protection Act

· Listing plastic manufactured items on Schedule 1 to the Canadian Environmental Protection Act

Brief description:

In June 2017, the Government of Canada published the Microbeads in Toiletries Regulations, listing microbeads on Schedule 1 to the Canadian Environmental Protection Act, 1999 (CEPA). The regulations prohibit the manufacture, import, and sale of toiletries used to exfoliate or cleanse that contain plastic microbeads, including non-prescription drugs and natural health products, starting January 1, 2018 with a complete ban as of July 2019.

In May 2021, “plastic manufactured items” was added to Schedule 1 to CEPA. This means that the Government of Canada has the authorities to use CEPA to enact regulations and other risk management tools to change behaviour at key stages in the lifecycle of plastic products and create the conditions for achieving a circular plastics economy and to reduce plastic pollution, including microplastics.

We see a positive improvement from last two years

As of July 2019, the manufacture, import and sale of all toiletries that contain plastic microbeads, including non-prescription drugs and natural health are prohibited in Canada. The Microbeads in Toiletries regulations help protect the environment by reducing the quantity of plastic microbeads entering Canadian aquatic ecosystems.

Measures

Achievements

Environmentally sound waste management

Enforcement of proper waste management system

Canada’s comprehensive zero plastic waste agenda

• Environmentally sound waste management

Brief description:

Internationally, Canada participates in key international fora, such as the G7, G20, Basel Convention Partnership on Plastic Waste, the International Resource Panel, and the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), to strengthen resource efficiency and waste management practices globally. Canada invested CA $100 million to support solutions for environmentally sound waste management and plastic pollution mitigation and remediation in developing countries.

Environmentally sound waste management is a shared responsibility in Canada. A range of policies, programs and regulatory initiatives at all levels of government drive improvements in the production, use, disposal and recovery of materials. The federal government has responsibilities for the transboundary movement of hazardous waste and hazardous recyclable materials, identifying best practices to reduce possible toxic pollution from waste, and developing guidance or other supporting measures. The Government of Canada also invests in waste and wastewater infrastructure. Provincial, territorial and municipal governments have implemented regulatory (e.g. product or landfill bans, incentives, extended producer responsibility programs, litter by-laws) and non-regulatory measures (e.g. educational campaigns, recycling and deposit programs) that target some plastic products and other wastes. These efforts play an important role in collecting plastics from households and other sources that help to reduce marine debris.

We do not see any particular trend

Numerical data if any:

· All provinces and territories have regulated extended producer responsibility programs in place, excluding Nunavut. There are over 160 regulated and voluntary stewardship programs in Canada covering more than 20 product categories including packaging and beverage containers.

· Canada contributed CA $6 million to the Global Plastic Action Partnership, which has supported the launch of four national action plans in Indonesia, Ghana, Vietnam and Nigeria.

Prevention of littering, illegal dumping and unintentional leakage of waste into the ocean

Canada’s comprehensive zero plastic waste agenda

• Zero Plastic Waste Initiative

Brief description:

Internationally, Canada has invested CA $100 million to support developing countries in preventing the leakage of plastic waste into the environment. This includes advancing gender equity elements in plastic pollution through the World Bank ProBlue Fund and supporting the development of national action plans in Indonesia, Ghana, Vietnam and Nigeria via the Global Plastic Action Partnership.

Domestically, Canada is taking action to prevent the leakage of plastics to the environment via its comprehensive agenda on zero plastic waste. Through actions across the lifecycle of plastics, Canada intends to achieve systematic change to keep plastics in the economy and out of the environment. This includes activities to support consumer education, investments in waste infrastructure and systems, and supporting best practices.

Through the Canada-wide Strategy on Zero Plastic Waste and Action Plan, federal, provincial and territorial governments have committed to develop guidance or identify best practices to reduce plastic waste entering the environment from:

· Natural disasters and spill events

· Stormwater, wastewater and industrial discharges, and

· Food and organic waste processing and sewage biosolids.

In addition, Canada is assessing infrastructure gaps and opportunities to improve waste collection and recycling for marinas, ports and harbours.

Through the Zero Plastic Waste Initiative, the Government of Canada invested over CA $5 million (2018-2022) to raise awareness and educate consumers and youth; develop and advance citizen science; mitigate plastic pollution leakage points; and develop, test and implement solutions to prevent, assess and remove plastic pollution.

The Government of Canada has also launched social media campaigns to curb littering, including from personal protective equipment as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.

We see a positive improvement from last two years

Numerical data if any:

· Twenty-eight projects have been funded since 2018 through the Zero Plastic Waste Initiative, leveraging over $5.6 million in funds (public and private) and engaging over 100 partner organizations.

Measures

Achievements

Cleanup of marine plastic litter

Collection of scattered waste on beach

Canada’s comprehensive zero plastic waste agenda

· Zero Plastic Waste Initiative

· Great Canadian Shoreline Clean-up

Brief description:

Through the Canada-wide Strategy on Zero Plastic Waste and Action Plan, federal, provincial and territorial governments have committed to support prevention, capture and clean-ups efforts, as well as research and development for effective technologies to reduce plastic pollution.

Through the Zero Plastic Waste Initiative, the Government of Canada invested over CA $5 million (2018-2022) to raise awareness and educate consumers and youth; develop and advance citizen science; mitigate plastic pollution leakage points; and develop, test and implement solutions to prevent, assess and remove plastic pollution.

We see a positive improvement from last two years

Comments:

The amount of collected marine litter has increased since 2018 (not necessarily indicative of more litter but indicates an improvement in citizen participation in clean-ups). The value of investments and number of marine litter projects has increased since 2018.

Numerical data if any:

Zero Plastic Waste Initiative

· ~330 tons of litter removed across Canada (2018-2020)

· For example, since 2020, the Council of the Great Lakes and Georgian Bay Forever have collectively diverted 13,097kg of debris from the Great Lakes (97kg and 13,000kg, respectively). This debris was diverted through the use of litter capture technologies such as Seabins, Littatraps, and Gutter Bins. Since September 2020, the International Fund for Animal Welfare Inc. and the Clean Harbours Initiative diverted an estimated 6,804kg of debris from Newfoundland harbours through the completion of 10 dives.

Great Canadian Shoreline Cleanup

· Since 1994, the Great Canadian Shoreline Cleanup has engaged more than 937,000 volunteers to clean up 44,262km of freshwater and marine shorelines in Canada, removing more than 2 million kg of trash.

Removal of plastic litter from the ocean

Canada’s comprehensive zero plastic waste agenda

· Sustainable Fisheries Solutions and Retrieval Support Contribution Program (Ghost Gear Fund)

Brief description:

Through the Canada-wide Strategy on Zero Plastic Waste and Action Plan, federal, provincial and territorial governments have also committed to work with fishing and aquaculture harvesters and industry to:

· Develop requirements or best practices for the use of plastics in operations and increase reporting, tracking and retrieval of lost gear;

· Address regulatory barriers to retrieve lost gear;

· support design, technologies and other innovations to prevent, mitigate and retrieve gear; and,

· evaluate best policy options to increase collection and end-of-life management of gear.

Canada’s Sustainable Fisheries Solutions and Retrieval Support Contribution Program investment of CA $8.3 million (2020-2022) supports the prevention and retrieval of abandoned, lost or otherwise discarded fishing and aquaculture gear. It will also support fish harvesters to acquire new gear technologies to reduce gear loss. This is the first fund of its kind that dedicates a significant source of funds specifically to combat ghost gear.

We see a positive improvement from last two years

Comments:

A baseline has not been established in order to measure trends against. The value of investments and number of plastic pollution removal projects has increased since 2018.

Numerical data if any:

· An estimated 69 tons of lost or discarded gear removed from Atlantic Canada in 2020

· In July 2019, the Government of Canada conducted a 3-day ghost gear retrieval expedition called Operation Ghost in the Gulf of St. Lawrence. This operation focused on areas with concentrations of ghost gear, removing 101 crab pots and 9.1km of rope from the water and returning 10,614lbs of crab back to the water.

Measures

Achievements

Promotion of innovative solutions

Policy actions for encouraging plastic alternatives (e.g. biodegradable plastics, circular product design – including use of recycled materials or closed loop recycling and so on)

Canada’s comprehensive zero plastic waste agenda

· Canadian Plastics Innovation Challenges

· G7 Innovation Challenge to Address Marine Plastic Litter

Brief description:

The Canadian Plastics Innovation Challenges are part of Canada’s comprehensive approach to addressing plastic waste and pollution. This program provides funding to small and medium-sized enterprises to incentivize the development of technology to address plastic waste. Through the Canadian Plastic Innovation Challenge, the government is investing nearly $19 million to support Canadian innovators and small and medium-sized businesses to develop solutions for plastics challenges. The Challenges include, among other categories, supporting innovation in reducing plastic waste and microfibers from textiles, finding sustainable alternatives to plastic packaging, developing sustainable fishing and aquaculture gear, and developing innovative solutions to address plastic waste and toxic substances from electronics. Successful applicants receive up to $150,000 to develop a proof of concept and subsequently up to $1 million to develop a prototype if selected.

Canada is also investing in innovation internationally, including $20 million to support the G7 Innovation Challenge to Address Marine Plastic Litter.

We see a positive improvement from last two years

Numerical data if any:

Canadian Plastics Innovation Challenges

· 17 challenges supported by 8 departments across 15 sectors, such as automotive, textiles, packaging, fishing gear, fiberglass boats

· $19M overall awarded to Canadian innovators and small and medium-sized businesses to address plastics challenge

· Two new challenges for recycling technologies to process personal protective equipment (PPE) waste were launched under the COVID Response challenge stream

The Government of Canada hosted the international 2020 Gear Innovation Summit in Halifax in February 2020. Attended by over 250 stakeholders, the Summit provided an opportunity to hear from leaders in ghost gear programming and learn how we can best prevent, reduce and retrieve ghost gear using recognized best practices and new innovative technologies.

Public-private partnerships for creating and implementing innovative solutions

Canada’s comprehensive zero plastic waste agenda

· Canada Plastics Pact

Brief description:

The Government of Canada is working with all levels of government, Indigenous communities, industry, non-profit organizations, researchers and civil society to reduce plastic waste and pollution. This includes engagement with key stakeholders on measures throughout the process.

The Government of Canada is also supporting businesses and organizations to engage key stakeholders in advancing solutions to transition Canada to a circular plastics economy. For instance, through the Zero Plastic Waste Initiative , Canada has supported leading businesses and organizations to move towards a circular plastics economy, including assessing options to reduce agricultural plastic waste , creating an online market place for secondary plastics from the industrial, commercial and institutional sector, and evaluating the recycling value chain and identifying pilot projects for hard to recycle items such as medical PVC .

In January 2021, the industry-led Canada Plastic Pact was launched with over 40 founding partners, including Environment and Climate Change Canada. The Pact is part of the Ellen MacArthur Foundation’s Plastics Pact Network and brings together organizations from the national plastic value chain to collaborate and rethink the way plastic packaging is designed, used and reused to realize a circular economy for plastic in Canada.

We see a positive improvement from last two years

Numerical data if any:

· 12 industry and non-profit organizations have received over CA $2.7 million to advance innovative and sector specific solutions that improve the sustainable design and production of plastics, strengthen secondary markets and support Canada’s transition to a circular plastics economy.

3.4.3 Others

Canada also recognizes that the COVID-19 pandemic has resulted in the increased use, waste and litter of personal protective equipment (PPE). The government is investing in PPE-specific recycling technologies, improving our understanding of littered PPE through citizen science, and supporting the health care sector to develop hospital protocols that target the sustainable procurement, sterilization and re-use, and recycling of its PPE waste.

Measures

Achievements

Education and awareness raising

Education system for encouraging public awareness on MPL issues

Canada has supported educational resources to inform youth about the impacts of plastic pollution and how to sustainably buy, use, dispose or recycle their plastic products, such as: the Anthropocene Educational Program and Ocean Plastic Education Kit , reaching over 22,000 Canadian teachers. The Government of Canada has an online video game – Climate Kids Plastics and Oceans – to engage youth about the issue.

We see a positive improvement from last two years

Numerical data if any:

· Over 1.2 million Canadians have been reached through engagement including social media, educational outreach, as well as education and awareness materials (e.g. infographics and signage)

Awareness raising campaigns related to MPL

National level:

Canada’s comprehensive zero plastic waste agenda

· 10,000 Changes

· Be Plastic Wise

· Anti-litter social media campaigns

Brief description:

Federal, provincial and territorial governments have committed to strengthening information exchange and awareness that engage and enable Canadians and businesses to make sustainable choices to better manage plastic resources. This includes promoting tools and best practices and developing guidance on the use of labels and terms such as recyclable and compostable.

The Government of Canada supports organizations to raise awareness and develop educational materials on the issue. For instance, Canada supported the 10,000 Changes and Plastic Wise national awareness raising campaigns.

Canada has also used social media to raise awareness of PPE waste and litter.

Local level:

Municipal governments and local organizations implement awareness raising initiatives to address local and regional needs. For example, through the Zero Plastic Waste Initiative, Canada supports the Ocean Friendly Nova Scotia program created by Coastal Action. This is a business recognition program to reduce single-use plastics in Nova Scotia.

International / Regional level:

Participation in international initiatives

Brief description:

Canada participates in initiatives that increase awareness of marine plastic litter regionally and internationally. For instance, Canada, the United States and Mexico work collaboratively through the Commission for Environmental Cooperation to implement pilot projects, facilitate community action and increase awareness of marine plastic litter in North America. Canada is also a member of the Global Partnership on Marine Litter and has pledged to the Clean Seas campaign, both initiatives have awareness raising components.

National level:

We see a positive improvement from last two years

Numerical data if any:

· Over 24,000 Canadians pledged to take action to reduce plastic waste and pollution through The 10,000 Changes and Plastic Wise campaigns

· The number of Canadian pledges to national campaigns has improved since 2018. Access to educational and awareness materials has increased since 2018.

· In 2018, Canada held an online public consultation seeking input from Canadians on how to move toward zero plastic waste. Canada received over 13,000 comments from Canadians.

Local level:

We see a positive improvement from last two years

International / Regional level:

We see a positive improvement from last two years

Measures

Achievements

Monitoring & Scientific research on marine plastic litter

Actions for encouraging monitoring / scientific research on plastic flows and ocean surface microplastics

Canada’s comprehensive zero plastic waste agenda

· Canada’s Plastics Science Agenda

· Investments in science

Brief description:

Canada supports, conducts and shares scientific research that informs evidence-based decision making, spurs innovation and helps to track progress. In June 2019, Canada’s Plastics Science Agenda (CaPSA) was published providing a framework that spans the lifecycle of plastics to inform future science and research investments for:

• detecting plastics in the environment;

· understanding and mitigating potential impacts on wildlife, human health and the environment;

· advancing sustainable plastic production, recycling and recovery; and

· providing the evidence needed to support decision making as we move toward a zero plastic waste future.

Canada, as per the Canada-wide Action Plan on Zero Plastic Waste, will support research, including R&D and innovations, along the plastics value chain to inform decision-making and identify opportunities for improved circularity in the economy. Canada will also develop and maintain national data on plastic use in the economy and their management; develop guidance for Canada-wide monitoring to detect and assess plastic pollution using harmonized approaches; and facilitate collaborative networks to share knowledge.

The Canadian Government has invested more than $10 million in robust science to address priority research gaps. Plastics Science for a Cleaner Future , the Increasing Knowledge on Plastic Pollution Initiative and the Northern Contaminants Program are recent steps on our investments in research to better understand the impacts of plastic pollution and support solutions across the value chain.

The value of investments and number of science projects has increased since 2018.

Engagement in international/regional level actions for encouraging monitoring / scientific research on plastic flows and ocean surface microplastics

Canada’s comprehensive zero plastic waste agenda

· Participation in international science

Brief description:

Canada participates in international and regional initiatives to advance effective science via method development, monitoring and information exchange. Some examples of participation are provided here.

Canada is active in the Arctic Council efforts tackling plastic pollution. Canada is working with international partners to coordinate research and monitoring on litter and microplastics through the Arctic Monitoring and Assessment Programme (AMAP). This includes producing internationally supported reviews and recommendations for monitoring plastics in 11 environmental compartments to assess fate and transport of plastic pollution. Canada also works on the Conservation of Arctic Flora and Fauna (CAFF) international team to assess what bird species in the Arctic can be used to track and assess plastic pollution, including seabirds and shorebirds as focal groups that feed specifically at the waters surface in many regions of the world. Through the Protection of the Arctic Marine Environment (PAME) working group, Canada participated in the desktop study on marine litter, including microplastics.

In addition, through the North Pacific Marine Science Organization (PICES), Canada is working with partners in the North Pacific on assessing potential indicators for the North Pacific region through a rubric exercise. This work will review the need for bioindicators to track plastic in marine food webs over time, identify baselines and targets, and determine if mitigation targets will be met in the future.

We see a positive improvement from last two years

The value of investments and engagement has increased since 2018.