Share and view ideas: Publication of a Notice of intent for the Federal Plastics Registry
Current status: Closed
Opened on December 30, 2023, and the comment period will close on February 13, 2024.
The Government of Canada published a Notice of intent to issue a section 46 notice for the Federal Plastics Registry to create an inventory of data. It will require producers to report annually on the quantity and types of plastic they place on the Canadian market, how it moves through the economy, and, most importantly, how it is managed at its end-of-life. Partners, stakeholders and interested members of the public are invited to provide comments.
Join in: how to participate
To learn how we will protect your privacy during this consultation, please carefully review our privacy statement.
Partners, stakeholders and interested members of the public are invited to provide comments on the Notice of intent to issue a section 46 notice. Comments received will be considered in the development of the section 46 notice for the Federal Plastics Registry.
Send us an email:
Please send an email to: plastiques-plastics@ec.gc.ca, with your comments.
Participate by mail:
Please send a letter with your comments to:
Tracey Spack
Director
Plastics Regulatory Affairs Division
Environment and Climate Change Canada
351 Saint-Joseph Boulevard
Gatineau QC K1A 0H3
Who is the focus of this consultation
We are engaging with:
- Provinces and territories
- Local governments
- Interested members of the public
- Non-governmental organizations
- Plastics manufacturers
- Brand owners, importers, distributors, and retailers
- Waste management companies and organizations
- Producer Responsibility Organizations
Key questions for discussion
Ideas and input are sought on:
- Objectives
- Product categories
- Stakeholders required to report
- Reporting requirements
- Open data and transparency
- Privacy and confidential business information
- Approaches to implementation, including timelines
What we are hearing
On April 18, 2023 we published the Technical paper: Federal Plastics Registry on the Canadian Environmental Protection Act 1999 (CEPA) registry. The paper outlined technical details and reporting requirements being considered for the Federal Plastics Registry. A 30-day public comment period followed the publication of the Technical paper. The public comment period closed on May 18, 2023.
In February 2023, we published a What we heard report which summarized the feedback received on Consultation paper: a proposed federal plastics registry for producers of plastic products published on July 25, 2022.
Feedback received in both comment periods has informed the development of the Notice of intent.
Related information
A section 46 information gathering notice under CEPA provides the Minister of Environment and Climate Change with the authority to gather the best information available for meeting obligations under the Act. The Minister may issue notices for conducting research, creating an inventory of data, formulating objectives, issuing guidelines, and assessing or reporting on the state of the environment.
A Federal Plastics Registry would provide consistent and robust plastic data beyond the information on plastic packaging and other plastic categories currently captured through extended producer responsibility (EPR) programs. It would also provide various sectors with the opportunity to be transparent about the quantity and type of plastic they are placing on the market and how it is managed at its end-of-life. These categories include packaging, single-use and disposable products, construction, transportation, white goods (e.g., home appliances), electronics and electrical equipment, tires, textiles, fishing and aquaculture, and agriculture and horticulture.
In Canada, the responsibility for managing waste is shared among the federal, provincial, territorial and municipal governments. As part of their responsibilities, provinces and territories develop and expand EPR programs that make producers responsible for the end-of-life management of their products. EPR is an important tool for building a circular plastic economy, but reporting requirements are inconsistent across Canada due to different definitions, calculations, and indicators of success. This makes it challenging for Canadians to access information or to know how extended producer responsibility is helping Canada move toward its goal of zero plastic waste. Industry, other levels of government, researchers, and others have identified inaccurate data as a challenge.
Through the Canada-wide Action Plan on Zero Plastic Waste, federal, provincial, and territorial governments committed to develop and maintain Canada-wide data on plastic in the economy, how it is managed and where it ends up. A Federal Plastics Registry would provide high-quality data and make it openly accessible in one place.
Contact us
Plastics Regulatory Affairs Division
Environment and Climate Change Canada
351 Saint-Joseph Boulevard
Gatineau QC K1A 0H3
Or