Recently, Canada Plastics Pact (CPP) released its 2023-2024 Impact Report, and among the report's key metrics is that 50 percent of the plastic packaging its partners put on the market in 2023 will be reusable, recyclable, or compostable, an increase of 7 percent from 2022. The Ottawa, Ontario-based Canadian Plastics Pact (CPP) said the report highlights the “unprecedented scale of collaboration” within Canada's plastics value chain and the growing momentum of businesses and organizations promoting innovative solutions.
According to the most recent and reliable data available, 1.96 million tons of plastic packaging were generated in Canada in 2022 in the deposit return sector (DRS), the residential living sector, and the industrial, commercial and institutional (IC&I) sector (see end of article for explanation of concepts).CPP says that the increase in plastic packaging production compared to previous years is due to the inclusion of data from the IC&I sector, which provides a comprehensive view of the flow of plastic packaging at the national level. Plastic packaging flows at the national level.
1. How effective is the implementation of the four objectives of the CPP?
CPP's primary goal is to identify a list of plastic packaging that has been identified as unnecessary or problematic and take steps to eliminate them. To that end, the organization released a guidance document in April to support the elimination of unnecessary and problematic plastics. In addition, the Canadian Plastics Pact says that in 2023, only 4% of its partners will still have 10 questionable items in their plastic packaging portfolios. The organization's second goal is to help achieve 100 percent of plastic packaging designed to be reusable, recyclable or compostable. In 2023, 50 percent of the packaging CPP partners put on the market is designed to be reusable, recyclable, or compostable, a 7 percent increase since 2022. The third goal is to take aggressive action to ensure that at least 50 percent of plastic packaging is effectively recycled or composted. Based on the most recent data available, the national recovery rate in 2022 is estimated to be 16 percent in the deposit return system, residential living, and business and institutional systems, and 11 percent in the business and institutional sector; 17 percent in the residential living sector; and 60 percent in the deposit return system, respectively, for each channel. The CPP states that the national recycling rate of 16% for plastic packaging is a 4% decrease from the 20% listed in the 2022 Annual Report due to the inclusion of data from the commercial, industrial, and institutional sector, which has historically had lower recycling rates. The fourth goal is to ensure that all plastic packaging contains an average of at least 30% recycled content by weight. The average content of post-consumer recycled content in plastic packaging used by Canadian Plastics Pact partners in 2023 is 10% - a 2% decrease in the use of recycled resins compared to the Canadian Plastics Pact's 2022 Annual Report. Factors such as the difficulty of obtaining an adequate supply of post-consumer resin (PCR) and its higher cost compared to virgin resin present challenges, the organization says.
2, CPP Admits Progress Slower Than Expected CPP Managing Director Cher Merewether said, “This report demonstrates that we have made significant progress upstream as CPP signatories prioritize eliminating the plastics we don't need and innovating for the plastics we do. As our partnership evolves and partners reaffirm their commitment to the agreement, leaders and experts from all parts of the plastics value chain remain focused on source reduction, designing for reuse and recyclability, supporting infrastructure investment, and informing the development of smart policies.” CPP said it recognizes that progress has been slower than expected, but that what has been achieved to date would simply not have been possible without large-scale collaboration. The organization says it recognizes the challenges it faces in meeting its goals, as well as the “significant advantages and opportunities” for collective action to achieve a circular economy for plastics. Since its launch, the CPP has taken on more than 100 partners. Catherine O'Brien, Chairman of the Board and President of CPP and Senior Vice President, Corporate Affairs, Nestlé Canada, said, “We are now seeing the fruits of the industry's groundwork, which has been supported by key players in the plastics value chain, driving tangible initiatives and scaling up efforts to achieve measurable progress. The data shows that while there is still work to be done to realize our mission and vision, we are on the right path.”
Deposit Return Systems (DRS)
It is a system that collects deposits from consumers for disposable containers and returns the deposits when consumers return the used containers to designated recycling points, and is mainly applied to the recycling of disposable packaging, especially beverage packaging.
Residential Systems
It is mainly a system for collecting, sorting and treating plastic packaging waste generated in the daily lives of residents, covering all types of plastic packaging waste generated in households, apartments and other residential places.
Business and institutional sector
Includes a system for the management and treatment of plastic packaging waste generated in the daily operations of industrial enterprises, commercial establishments such as shopping malls, supermarkets, hotels, restaurants, etc., as well as various types of institutions such as schools, hospitals and government agencies.
