The federal government is taking aim at plastic with a federal registry that will require some companies to regularly report their plastic production and importation.
Environment Minister Steven Guilbeault made the announcement during his kickoff of the United Nations’ Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee on Monday.
Delegates and representatives from around the world are meeting in Ottawa this week to develop an internationally binding agreement on plastic pollution by the end of the year, The United Nations Environment Programme is responsible for organizing the meetings.
“I am determined,” said Guilbeault. “I know that we will forge a historic milestone to end plastic pollution.
The Federal Plastics Registry will begin in September 2025 and it will require businesses to report on plastic they have placed on the market in “three categories for the 2024 calendar year,” reads a government announcement.
Under the Federal Plastic Registry, companies “including resin manufacturers, service providers, and producers of plastic products” will be required to report the totality of their plastic use amount annually.
“Producers of plastic products and service providers will also be required to report on the quantity of plastic collected and diverted, reused, repaired, remanufactured, refurbished, recycled, processed into chemicals, composted, incinerated, and landfilled,” reads the government release.
Small businesses which produce less than one tonne of plastic on the market each year will be exempt from making reports.
The federal government is using an existing environmental protection law to collect data for a Federal Plastics Registry.
“Every year, from now on, (companies) must declare the quantity and types of plastic they supply, how these plastics move through the economy, and how they are managed at the end of their life,” said Guilbeault.
“The registry will provide critical information to measure progress, identifying gaps, and building a truly circular economy.”
Additionally, they will be required to report on the amount of plastic waste that has been generated on their commercial, industrial and institutional premises.
The data collected by the registry will be used to identify what further actions are required to reduce plastic waste and pollution.
Reporting requirements regarding the new registry will be phased in incrementally to give companies time to adapt to the obligations of their annual report.
Additional reporting requirements on plastics collected and sent for disposal or diversion will be added on in 2027.
The announcement of the registry is part of Canada’s Zero Plastic Waste Agenda, which aims to move towards a circular plastics economy and to reduce waste.