Zero plastic waste: get involved and find resources
Join us in reducing plastic pollution and reaching our vision of a zero plastic waste future. By making simple changes, you can make an impact. Here are some ideas:
For individuals
- Use reusable products like mugs, food containers and shopping bags
- Refuse cutlery, straws and individual packets when ordering food for delivery or take-out if you don’t need it
- Use your purchasing power to buy plastic products that can be reused, recycled, repaired or repurposed
- Support businesses that are reducing their plastic footprint
- Learn about what can be recycled or composted in your municipality, school or work
- Choose plastic products that are recyclable and participate in your local waste programs
- Wash and reuse plastic containers and resealable plastic bags
- Put a lid on your bins to stop litter from being blown away or scattered by animals
- Throw your cigarette butts in the garbage or designated bins
- Organize or join a cleanup in your neighbourhood
- Check out the Great Canadian Shoreline Cleanup
Pledge to a campaign
Join a plastic waste reduction campaign to get ideas to rethink your plastic use:
- Join the 10,000 Changes campaign
- Make a pledge to #BePlasticWise
- Reduce your plastic footprint and join #CleanSeas
For educators
Help our youth leaders of tomorrow by incorporating plastic education into your program:
- Ocean Plastic Education
- Join the Plastic Bag Grab challenge
- Anthropocene Education Program
- 10,000 Changes Education Program
- University of Toronto Trash Team – Waste Literacy Education
Here are some ideas you can try at your school:
- purchase reusable plastics for your classroom
- challenge your students to recycle their plastics
- host zero waste lunches
- organize a clean-up around your school or community
For businesses, organizations and institutions
- Commit to reduce plastic waste in your operations and endorse the Ocean Plastics Charter
- Make, buy or sell reusable or recyclable plastic products or environmentally-sound alternatives
- Join or lead initiatives to reduce plastic spills and releases such as Operation Clean Sweep
- Support local plastic waste reduction projects and research
- Encourage environmentally-sound waste management practices in your facilities and operations
- Provide training to your employees to help them manage and reduce plastic waste
- Lead or join a clean-up in your community
- For restaurant owners, chefs, and other food professionals become a Plastic Reduction Partner
- Learn more about the Medical PVC Recycling Pilot Program – PVC 123
- Find more information about the costs of using recycled plastics in the manufacture of plastic packaging and products
- Discover more information about the state of food grade recycled plastics in Canada and the United States (PDF, 2.39 MB)
Funding
See recent funding initiatives and find Government of Canada funding opportunities to help support your innovations, business ideas, projects and research related to plastics:
- Plastics science for a cleaner future
- Increasing Knowledge on Plastic Pollution Initiative
- Zero plastic waste initiative
- Combatting marine litter: Ghost gear
- EcoAction Community Funding Programs
- Abandoned Boats Program
- Northern Contaminants Program
- Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council
- Clean Water and Wastewater Funding Program
- Business grants and financing
- Innovation funding and support
- Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada
Learn more
- Find a summary of plastic pollution science in Canada through the Science assessment of plastic pollution
- Find out more about Canada’s plastics economy through the Economic study of the Canadian plastic industry, markets and waste
- Discover where you can recycle plastic bags and films
- Check out our pollution prevention resource finder and share your ideas
- Find additional resources in your province or territory through the Plastic Action Centre
- Learn about managing and reducing waste in Canada
- Learn about how recycled content can support a circular economy for plastics in Canada