Plastics and Waste: appearance before the Standing Committee (November 4, 2020)
Circular Economy
Q. What is the Circular Economy and how is the Federal Government addressing the issue?
The circular economy seeks to maintain the value of materials, resources and products in the economy for as long as possible and minimize the generation of waste.
As an improved economic model that takes in the multiple facets of sustainability, the circular economy has the opportunity to address a number of government priorities as they relate to a greener economy.
Recent studies also suggest that circular approaches also have positive climate change mitigation opportunities given that significant amounts of GHG emissions are related to materials management.
As with our current work on reducing plastic waste, circular economy models provide us with another way to address the underlying causes of environmental pressures (e.g., consumption and production) through fully sustainable approaches to managing materials and energy flows.
Through our continuous engagement on the issue we know that a number of departments are looking to use circular approaches to advance solutions for files as diverse as agriculture, transportation, fisheries and economic development. We expect this trend to increase.
The circular economy is not a cure-all for our problems – but it has strong synergies with a number of files – and is a solutions-based proposition.
With its associated positive economic and environmental opportunities, an increasing number of governments and businesses are promoting and working towards a CE including in Canada.
There are many ways to create a circular economy – in Canada and around the world – for products and materials that have traditionally been thrown away.
Through better design and use of our valuable resources, a circular economy approach can help us reduce waste, and increase economic and business opportunities.
The opportunities – and challenges – that a move to a more circular economy present can best be addressed together by collaboration by government, business and civil society.
That is why Canada looks forward to hosting the World Circular Economy Forum 2021 (WCEF2021) with the Finnish Innovation Fund Sitra.
The WCEF2021 will take place in Toronto, Canada from September 13 to 15, 2021 and marks the first time the forum will be held in North America.
It will bring dynamic new voices to the global conversation and take an in-depth look at circular opportunities in the Canadian and global context.
It will also explore the “game changing” actions and systemic changes needed to accelerate the global circular transition.
International Shipment of Waste
Q. What is the Government of Canada doing to prevent the illegal shipment of waste to other countries?
Environment and Climate Change Canada (ECCC) is actively working with the Canada Border Services Agency and Global Affairs Canada to prevent the illegal shipment of waste overseas and address outstanding cases. The Canada Border Services Agency assists ECCC in the administration of the Export and Import of Hazardous Waste and Hazardous Recyclable Material Regulations.
ECCC is independently examining what policy changes, including legislative and regulatory amendments, could be implemented to more effectively help prevent the illegal shipment of waste overseas.
The Government of Canada regularly undertakes compliance promotion activities to communicate relevant regulatory requirements to Canadian waste exporters. For example, in fall 2019, ECCC officials sent 475 letters to exporters of scrap plastic and paper. An additional 44 letters were sent in a second mail out to exporters to Malaysia, and 93 follow up phone calls were made to exporters who did not respond to either letter. In spring 2020, ECCC sent a newsletter to over 1600 people or companies to explain how the regulations apply to waste controlled by the importing or transit country.
Q. My colleague Scott Davidson introduced Bill C-204 which seeks to amend the Canadian Environmental Protection Act, 1999 to prohibit the export of certain types of plastic waste to foreign countries for final disposal. Will the government be supporting this bill?
I’m certainly aware of Bill C-204 that was introduced in early February. The Government is currently studying this Bill and will be responding to it at the appropriate time.
Plastic Pollution
Q. What is the government doing to get to zero plastic waste?
General
The Government of Canada has adopted a comprehensive approach to meet its target of zero plastic waste by 2030. Important aspects of our agenda include investing in research through the Canadian Plastics Science Agenda, innovation through the Canadian Plastics Innovation Challenges and in community action through the Zero Plastic Waste Initiative. We are working in partnership with organizations and industries to improve product design for longer product life, repairability and recyclability, and to develop solutions to increase the recovery of waste plastics in Canada. We are also working on making producers responsible for the waste their products generate in collaboration with provincial and territorial governments. Our aim is to work with all sectors in order to keep plastic in the economy and out of the environment.
The Government of Canada is also working with provinces and territories through the Canadian Council of Ministers of the Environment (CCME) to address plastic waste and pollution. Together we have launched the Canada-wide Strategy for Zero Plastic Waste and adopted an Action Plan that contains collaborative actions by government to help reduce waste, improve the recovery of plastics, and help consumers do their part as well. Details on the Strategy and Action Plan can be found on the CCME website.
We recently announced further details on our steps to address plastic waste and pollution and to meet our commitment to ban harmful single-use plastics, where warranted by science and evidence. These include the release of a discussion paper outlining a framework for managing plastics, a proposed list of single-use items to be banned or restricted, as well as other measures to increase Canada’s ability to recycle and recover plastics. The discussion document is on our website and the public comment period ends on December 9, 2020.
Canadian Environmental Protection Act
Current scientific evidence confirms that plastic pollution is ubiquitous in the environment, and that macroplastic pollution poses an ecological hazard such as physical harm to animals and their habitat. Current scientific literature also suggests that microplastic pollution may pose an ecological hazard to some animals, though further research is needed.
CEPA is cornerstone federal legislation for preventing pollution, and protecting the environment and human health.
Accessing authorities under CEPA requires adding a substance to Schedule 1 (List of Toxic Substances).
The proposal by the Minister of the Environment and the Minister of Health to list “plastic manufactured items” is a response to the findings and recommendations of the Science Assessment.
CEPA provides significant flexibility to tailor regulatory measures to address issues in a targeted manner. It enables various possible measures during the life-cycle of any plastic manufactured product (e.g. restricting or prohibiting uses, manufacturing specifications such as recycled content, biodegradability, or disposal requirements).
Single-use plastics
The Department generated and analyzed a list of single-use plastic products based on various sources including scientific studies; actions being taken by other jurisdictions; shoreline cleanups; and litter audits.
The items were analyzed through a Management Framework for Single-use Plastics. The Framework used to evaluate these items was based on the following criteria: harm to the environment, including whether an item was prevalent in environment or known or suspected to cause environmental harm; and having a low value-recovery potential. Value-recovery potential was determined based on whether the item hampers recycling and/or wastewater treatment, is non-recyclable, has low or very low recycling rate and barriers to increasing recycling rate. Items falling into these categories were identified for potential management measures and those that met all the criteria for both categories were identified as candidates for a ban or restriction on its use.
Using this framework, the analysis identified 6 plastic items that meet the requirements of a proposed ban or a restriction, supported by sufficient scientific evidence. These items include: plastic checkout bags; stir sticks; 6-pack rings; cutlery; straws; and food service ware made from problematic plastics.
Investing in Solutions
We believe that actions by individuals, communities and industry can also make a big difference. We have provided funding for solutions to prevent pollution and foster clean-up activities through the Zero Plastic Waste Initiative and the Canadian Plastics Innovation Challenges.
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 in high-impact areas including, plastic packaging, textiles and construction waste.
Since 2018, the Government has invested around $6.5 million to support innovative solutions by industry and communities to effect change within and across the plastics lifecycle to increase collection, improve value recovery, and prevent plastic pollution and support a circular economy.
Personal Protective Equipment (PPE)
Public health protection is a top priority for the Government of Canada. The Government recognizes the importance of balancing environmental protection and clean growth with the role of plastic in protecting human health, in particular during this COVID-19 public health emergency. The Government is aware that the COVID-19 pandemic has created additional PPE-derived plastic waste, and is actively seeking mitigation strategies while also ensuring Canadians remain protected.
PPE includes a range of products such as gloves, gowns, surgical masks, face shields, goggles and N95 respirators, and these are not all produced with the same materials.
Canada launched the Ocean Plastics Charter during its 2018 G7 presidency. Canada continues this leadership role by encouraging countries and companies to adopt the Charter and reduce their plastic waste. Canada also invested $100 million to support solutions for environmentally sound waste management and plastic pollution mitigation in developing countries.
Canada implements its international obligations to prevent waste and litter under several legally binding international agreements including the Basel Convention on the Control of Transboundary Movements of Hazardous Wastes and their Disposal, the International Convention for the Prevention of Pollution from Ships (MARPOL), and the London Convention and Protocol to prevent marine pollution by dumping at sea.
Canada also adopted other international frameworks for action against plastic waste and litter such as: the G7 Action Plan to Combat Marine Litter, the G20 Action Plan on Marine Litter and Implementation Framework, International Maritime Organization Action Plan to Address Marine Litter from Ships, and the plastics-related United Nations Environment Assembly resolutions.
