Plastic Waste Management in Canada

Canada is preparing a “… State of the Science assessment on plastic pollution … [which] will include a peer review, public consultations, and socio-economic considerations …” according to a June 10, 2019 news release. The release notes that as part of its assessment, Canada will be banning certain “… single-use plastic products and packaging – such as shopping bags, straws, cutlery, plates, and stir sticks … Ensuring that companies that manufacture plastic products or sell items with plastic packaging are responsible for managing the collection and recycling of their plastic waste … companies making products are responsible for the end-of-life management of their products and packaging … prevent and retrieve abandoned, lost, or discarded fishing gear … helping small businesses … find new ways to reduce plastic waste and turn waste into valuable resources … [and] accelerate research ... on the impacts of plastics pollution on humans, wildlife, and the environment …”