Share your thoughts: Development of rules to strengthen the recycling and composting of plastics through accurate labelling
Current status: Closed
This consultation was open from July 25, 2022 to October 07, 2022.
The Government of Canada was seeking feedback on the development of labelling rules to improve the accuracy of recyclability and compostability information found on plastic packaging and single-use items. This consultation paper outlined the Government’s current understanding of the issue and proposed potential approaches for establishing a labelling regime for recyclable and compostable plastics in Canada.
Partners, stakeholders and interested members of the public were invited to provide comments on the consultation paper. Comments received will be taken into account in the development of the proposed instrument.
Who was the focus of this consultation
We engaged with:
- Manufacturers and importers of plastic packaging and single-use plastics
- Brand owners and other producers
- Provinces and territories
- Municipalities
- Waste management companies
- Producer responsibility organizations
- Non-governmental organizations
- Organics processors
Key questions for input
Ideas and input were sought on:
- Collection and acceptance of plastics for recycling
- Alignment with other federal, provincial and territorial initiatives
- End markets
- Product scope
- Labelling requirements
- Packaging design
- Compliance methods and compliance verification
- Implementation
- Compostability certification
Related information
The Government of Canada has a comprehensive agenda to achieve zero plastic waste by 2030. As part of this agenda, the Government is working with partners and stakeholders on a range of measures to prevent plastic pollution and improve the rate at which plastics is recovered at end-of-life and re-circulated in the Canadian economy. These measures include:
- banning harmful single-use plastics, which will prevent 22,000 tonnes of plastic pollution and 1.3 million tonnes of hard-to-recycle plastic waste over 10 years;
- developing, in collaboration with provinces and territories, guidance to facilitate consistent policies that make producers responsible for recycling systems, which will improve collection and recycling infrastructure;
- establishing a federal plastics registry that requires producers of plastic products to report annually on plastics in the Canadian economy;
- requiring that plastic packaging in Canada contain at least 50% recycled content by 2030, in particular by developing regulations that will set minimum percentage recycled content requirements for certain items made of plastic;
- introducing labelling rules that prohibit the use of the chasing-arrows symbol on plastic products unless 80% of Canada’s recycling facilities accept, and have reliable end markets for, these products; and
- addressing inaccurate degradability and compostability labeling claims for plastic products.
Government of Canada delivers on commitment to ban harmful single-use plastics
Canada one-step closer to zero plastic waste by 2030
Contact us
Send us an email
Participate by mail
Plastics Regulatory Affairs Division
Environment and Climate Change Canada
351 St. Joseph Blvd., Place Vincent Massey, 9th floor
Gatineau QC K1A 0H3