Canada Takes Further Steps On Plastic Recyclability, Composability And Tracking

On July 25, 2022, Canada's Minister of Environment and Climate Change, Steven Guilbeault, launched consultations on two proposed changes to Canada's plastic products regulatory regime: (i) increasing the stringency of plastics labeling, and (ii) introducing a federal plastics registry.

Plastics labeling

With respect to labeling, Canada has proposed new regulations that would prohibit the use of the chasing-arrows symbol and other recyclability claims on plastic products unless at least 80% of Canadians have access to recycling systems that accept and have reliable end markets for the products. Canada has also proposed to introduce regulations requiring that products labeled as "compostable" and "biodegradable" be certified by a third-party organization. We note that the approach to "compostable" and "biodegradable" plastics may mirror that of Ontario's new Blue Box regulation, which defines "certified compostable product and packaging" as material that: "(i) is