Plastic waste is a problem—it’s also a resource we shouldn’t be wasting

Let’s face it, the world has a plastic waste problem. There is widespread frustration with plastic waste and concerns about the future. People are hungry for practical solutions. They expect plastic makers—the people we represent—to be leaders in bringing forward solutions. We agree. Plastic waste does not belong in our environment. Instead, plastics can and should be continuously reused in the economy. By shifting our mindset from single-use to re-use, post-consumer plastics can be transformed into an ongoing resource in a circular economy. As an industry, we are committed to advancing new ways of doing business that encourage plastic reuse on a global scale. We are developing new uses for recycled plastic and building infrastructure to create new applications for used plastics. Companies such as Pyrowave in Montreal and INEOS Styrolution, for example, are already using advanced recycling technologies that convert post-consumer plastics back into their building blocks so they can be transformed into new plastic products. But here’s the thing. The federal government is working at cross purposes with us. On the one hand, the government has endorsed the goal of building a circular economy. On the other hand, it is signalling its intention to ban certain plastics and designate all plastic manufactured items—which are inert—as “toxic,” using legislation that was never intended for waste management. This will create consumer confusion and unwarranted reputational damage to industry. Think about that for a moment. That includes beverage bottles and grocery bags. It also includes the sterile gloves your doctor wears and the N95 masks we are all so reliant upon today. It includes the plastic packaging for your Friday night takeout dinner. Your new television. Windmills. Cell phones. The modular components used to create a lighter, more fuel-efficient car. What does this mean for the Canadian economy? For starters, it undermines efforts by provinces to establish robust, industry-funded, and managed recycling systems, which are based on the inherent value in post-consumer plastics. Label those plastics “toxic” and their value diminishes. Designating plastics as “toxic” will also put a chill on investment and will devastate the entire country’s recycling systems at a time when much of the private sector is collaborating and innovating to effectively manage those systems. In contrast, nine American states have recently passed legislation recognizing post-consumer plastics as a resource, not a waste. Their laws are supporting the recovery of plastics and reframing the industry as manufacturing, not waste disposal. In other words: an economic driver, not a drain. Perhaps the greatest disconnect in the federal approach is that it actually runs counter to the government’s own circularity, sustainability, and climate change goals. A study by global environmental consulting firm Trucost finds the environmental cost of using plastics in consumer goods and packaging is nearly four times less than if plastics were replaced with alternative materials. That’s because strong, lightweight plastic helps us do more with less material, which provides environmental benefits throughout its lifecycle. We agree that government and industry have important roles to play, and need to work together on the management systems, infrastructure, and technologies to address the plastic waste problem. We also agree that two close allies and trading partners such as Canada and the United States should co-operate to address these issues. But we don’t agree that the current federal approach will achieve these goals. If we want to divert waste from landfills, we need investments in infrastructure and innovative technologies for recycling, not bans. If we want to recycle used plastics into new products, we need standards based on science and evidence-informed facts, not labels and scare tactics. Instead, we recommend the development of a pan-Canadian circular economy framework for plastics with the following six principles: Improved product design to increase recyclability and recycled content; Increased access to recycling and harmonization of standards nationally; Improved sortation capabilities to improve quality and increase supply of post-consumer materials; Strengthened mechanical and advanced recycling capabilities through infrastructure and technology investment; Expanded end-use markets through consistent recycled content standards; and Expanded consumer education and incentive programs. We believe plastic waste can be reduced with the right commitment and support, and we’re working to turn this global problem into a world of possibilities. Elena Mantagaris is the vice-president, plastics division for the Chemistry Industry Association of Canada. Joshua Baca is the vice-president, plastics division for the American Chemistry Council. The Hill Times

Plastic waste is a problem—it’s also a resource we shouldn’t be wasting

Perhaps the greatest disconnect in the federal approach is that it actually runs counter to the government’s own circularity, sustainability, and climate change goals.

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Plastic waste is a problem—it’s also a resource we shouldn’t be wasting

Perhaps the greatest disconnect in the federal approach is that it actually runs counter to the government’s own circularity, sustainability, and climate change goals.

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