For years, Canadians have been sounding the alarm about our staggering plastic consumption, where our most recent data estimates that 978,000 tonnes of plastic packaging waste will be produced in 2022 through residential recycling systems and waste management initiatives. , with only 20 percent is recycled..
We live in a time when products in almost every industry are made with at least some plastic components. And we have become accustomed to single-use plastic packaging as the most convenient way to consume goods.
The need for change not only knocks at the door, but knocks at our door with a sense of urgency that we cannot ignore.
As committed partners of the Canada Plastics Pact (CPP), we are charting a bold course toward a future free of plastic waste and pollution. This journey is not just about the plastic items we throw away, it is an examination of the materials we choose to create and the legacy we leave behind.
The fact is that the overwhelming production and disposal of plastics has overwhelmed Canada’s recycling infrastructure. And the path to improving our recycling efforts is littered with obstacles: pollution, the complexity of plastic materials, and inadequate sorting processes. While recycling plays a crucial role, it is only one piece of a larger puzzle.
The reality is that recycling alone will not eliminate plastic waste. Our efforts must start at the source, tracing the life cycle of plastics and ultimately creating a circular plastic economy.
Nature teaches us the profound lesson that all paths are interconnected. In our quest to address the plastic challenge, we must take this perspective and consider the entire journey of these materials with the intention of reducing plastics throughout the system.
Plastics, with their vast applications and complexities, have become ubiquitous and deeply embedded in supply chains. This deep roots require thoughtful strategies, collaboration and innovation at all levels to rapidly scale solutions.
In response, a cross-section of CPP partners from across the plastics value chain have collaborated to develop, on behalf of the CPP, guidance for the industry to take urgent action to eliminate 13 unnecessary and problematic plastics. This guidance allows the industry to determine whether multiple plastic packaging is necessary and, if so, which packaging is likely to have a place in the circular economy.
Recycling alone will not eliminate plastic waste. We must track the life cycle of plastics to create a circular plastic economy, write Craig Hodge, Christina Seidel and Natasha Tucker @MindYourPlastic #BeatPlasticPollution #microplastics #PlasticWaste
The criteria for reaching this decision involved evaluating plastics that are avoidable, contain hazardous chemicals, are not recyclable, hinder recycling efforts, or are highly likely to become trash.
Proactive industry involvement in finding solutions to these 13 unnecessary and problematic issues. The items will foster pioneering innovation and unlock economic value, especially when implemented at scale.
We don’t have all the solutions yet, but we are driven by an innovative and collaborative spirit inspired by 10 other plastics pacts around the world; Canada’s zero plastic waste agenda; he UN Global Plastics Treaty; and other national and international initiatives that are leading the fight against unnecessary and problematic plastics in their respective regions.
We call on industry leaders across the value chain to use this new guide and start eliminating these 13 unnecessary and problematic plastics. Join us to help drive the innovation and collaboration needed to accelerate solutions and magnify our impact.
Craig Hodge serves as director of the Metropolitan Vancouver Regional District, is a member of its parks committee and vice-chair of the Zero Waste Committee.
Christina Seidel holds a PhD in engineering management and has extensive experience in circular economy and waste reduction. She operates Sonnevera International Corp., a waste reduction consulting firm, and she was executive director of the Alberta Recycling Council for 30 years, where she has been heavily involved in the area of waste management policy development.
As executive director of Take care of your plasticNatasha Tucker advocates for a plastic pollution-free Canada by creating long-lasting, impactful relationships and leading the organization’s team of passionate and committed members.