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“Advanced recycling” is an umbrella term, sometimes also called “chemical” or “molecular recycling” that encompasses an ever-growing list of technologies that are speculative when it comes to recycling plastic. The reality is that there is no known commercial example of an “advanced recycling” facility anywhere in the world that turns plastic waste back into plastic products or packaging.
Canada has committed to ending plastic waste by 2030.i Reaching this goal will require ambitious actions that address the full life cycle of plastic.
Canada is a major—and growing—producer of plastics and the world’s second highest user of plastic on a per person basis.ii Production, use and disposal of plastics is an increasing contributor to climate change and habitat degradation. It also imposes disproportionate harm on those living next to production and disposal facilities, often low-income and Black, Indigenous and People of Colour communities.
We, the undersigned, therefore call on the Government of Canada to commit immediately to implement the following actions on an urgent basis:
Immediate action on plastics is necessary. The government’s Science Assessment on Plastic Pollution, referenced in the Regulatory Impact Assessment Statement, confirmed that plastic pollution is widespread in Canada, causing a range of adverse effects on wildlife and ecosystems. Furthermore, there is strong public support for federal action. Recent polling found that 95 per cent of Canadians are concerned about plastic pollution and 86 per cent support a federal ban on single-use plastics. Every day Canada fails to act, another 7,900 tonnes of plastic waste end up in our landfills and environment.
