Canada chemical, plastics groups set 100% recovery, recycling goals

HOUSTON (ICIS)–The Canadian Plastics Industry Association (CPIA) and the Chemistry Industry Association of Canada (CIAC) on Monday announced the following targets for plastic packaging waste reduction:

-A goal of 100% of plastics packaging being re-used, recycled or recovered by 2040.
-An interim goal of 100% of plastics packaging being recyclable or recoverable by 2030.

The goals will mean new and upgraded infrastructure, as well as improved packaging design, the groups said.

Widespread public participation in recycling and recovery programmes will also be needed.

“Industry has a role to play in designing materials and applications for greater recovery, reuse and recyclability, but addressing the issue of plastic waste will require actions from society as a whole and from all of us as individuals,” CIAC CEO Bob Masterson said.

The plastics division of the American Chemistry Council (ACC) set the following goals in May:

-100% of plastics packaging is re-used, recycled or recovered by 2040.
-100% of plastics packaging is recyclable or recoverable by 2030.
-100% of the US manufacturing sites operated by ACC’s plastics division members to participate in Operation Clean Sweep-Blue by 2020, with all North America manufacturing sites involved by 2022.

The ACC noted that flexible plastic packaging usually is not accepted for recycling in North America, but added that the Materials Recovery for the Future project is researching to find recovery solutions.

Plastics Europe and the European Chemical Industry Council (CEFIC) have similar goals regarding sustainable consumption and production, including the goal to have zero plastics in landfills by 2020.