CIAC Responds to Proposed Single-Use Plastics Regulations

December 22, 2021

The Chemistry Industry Association of Canada has prepared a response to the Federal Government’s recently announced draft regulations prohibiting certain single-use plastics.

“Plastics are an integral part of our modern way of life and are critical to the health and safety of Canadians. We believe bans of some single-use plastic items might make governments and consumers feel good in the short term, but do not solve the overall problem long term. Industry is doing its part but investments in innovation and infrastructure will also have real and measurable impacts on keeping plastics out of the environment and in the economy.

While the government has exercised its authorities, we are disappointed that safe inert plastic materials that play such important roles in Canadians’ lives continue to be listed on the Canadian Environmental Protection Act‘s (CEPA) Schedule 1 or are being banned when innovative technologies like advanced recycling are available to manage their end of life. The Minister and his officials have heard clearly from our industry, and a broad cross-section of other industries where plastics play an important role, that such a move would do little to keep post-consumer plastics out of the environment.

We continue to believe that CEPA is not an appropriate legislative instrument for managing post-consumer plastics. And we encourage the federal government to consider our proposed framework for a circular economy for plastics in Canada.

We will participate fully in the consultation process and continue to advance our work on a Circular Plastics Innovation Fund. We remain committed to working with governments to find viable, meaningful solutions to address plastics pollution.”