Evidence of meeting #24 for Environment and Sustainable Development in the 43rd Parliament, 2nd Session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was recycling.
A video is available from Parliament.
Liberal
Chris Bittle Liberal St. Catharines, ON
I'm sorry, Mr. Galt. I appreciate that your company is in favour of that. I meant in terms of the increased standards that Europe was bringing forward. Was your company supportive of those European standards, or was your company lobbying against them?
President and Chief Executive Officer, Husky Injection Molding Systems Ltd.
We were actually supportive. As a matter of fact, to bring industry together, we chaired the committee that came up with the standards on the new closure, because we saw we were stumbling individually. We chaired a committee to bring forward the new standard of a tethered closure and a new lighter-weight design that uses less plastic. We found a common standard that we could all support.
Liberal
Chris Bittle Liberal St. Catharines, ON
Thank you so much. I apologize that in the background there may be a two-year-old screaming, but it is that time of day.
To Madame Langlois-Blouin from RECYC-QUÉBEC, would you be able to outline some of the steps Quebec has taken to position itself as a leader with regard to extended producer responsibility?
Vice-President, Operational Performance, RECYC-QUÉBEC
Off the top of my head, I would say that extended producer responsibility has been in effect since 2011 in Quebec. Initially, five categories were covered. This year, appliances were added. I believe that we're among the first, along with British Columbia, to have added this category. As I said, there's a major reform under way with respect to recycling and deposits. The mindset is a little bit different from the mentality seen in other provinces, particularly in terms of two aspects of recycling.
Regarding the first aspect, we would like to see a single program in place. On the business side, it won't be about individual responsibilities. A single organization will represent businesses that market containers, packaging, printed materials and newspapers.
The second aspect is the partnership with the municipalities. We want to build on what we already have in place. Recycling is available to about 99% of Quebec households. We'll need to cover more multi-unit buildings. The municipalities must remain committed, even if we shift towards extended producer responsibility. This applies in particular to all aspects of collection, transportation and services to the public. It also affects the information provided to people in order to help them recycle properly and make the right choices.
Liberal
Chris Bittle Liberal St. Catharines, ON
Thank you.
To Dr. Rochman, we know that the Global Commitment 2020 Progress Report, which was published by the Ellen MacArthur Foundation and UNEP, stated that EPR is essential to reach a high rate of recycling. Could you explain a little bit more how that shift would improve recycling rates in Canada?
Assistant Professor, University of Toronto, As an Individual
I'm not an expert on EPR. I will tell you that. I'm an ecologist. However, from my understanding, you can use extended producer responsibility to incentivize recycling or the use or production of more sustainable items and to deincentivize those that are not sustainable. By using an extended producer responsibility scheme, you can increase recycling.
Again, I think I might ask this question to Mr. Valiante, because I'm an ecologist, not an economist.
Liberal
Technical Advisor, Canada Plastics Pact
Could you just repeat it super-quickly?
Liberal
Technical Advisor, Canada Plastics Pact
[Technical difficulty--Editor] supply-side policy, so when you make producers responsible for collecting and recycling materials, they then invest in systems to do so. We've seen that in British Columbia. We've seen that in Quebec. Quebec is now reforming its laws to make them even more ambitious in terms of producers investing in those systems. That creates the supply of plastics that feed into the recycling systems that would go to companies like Husky to produce the next cycle of products. That's really what it drives.
Bloc
Monique Pauzé Bloc Repentigny, QC
I want to thank the witnesses.
We know that the petrochemical industry will grow. However, the industry receives significant government support.
Would you approve of a significant proportion of this government assistance—and I'm talking about subsidies here—being allocated to adapting production so that truly biodegradable materials are used? Subsidies could be a way to gently steer the industry towards biodegradable materials.
President and Chief Executive Officer, Chemistry Industry Association of Canada
Thank you. I have a quick two-part answer.
First, the federal government has provided support to three new proposed investments in the chemistry and plastics area through the strategic innovation fund. In every one of those, the investment from the federal government was tied into sustainability and recycling objectives, research activities, partnerships with universities, etc. I think the government's lens is on the right part of that. They are focused on that part.
Second, on the question of biodegradability, I would encourage you to go back to Professor Rochman and please note her area of caution around the terms of biodegradability, bioplastics, etc., because it is not a solution to the problem as it currently is envisioned.
Bloc
Monique Pauzé Bloc Repentigny, QC
Since this industry receives a large number of subsidies, I wanted to know whether you think that the industry should redirect some of the subsidies towards biodegradable products.
I have another question for you, Mr. Masterson. You were talking about the investments made in the United States and you were bemoaning the investment situation in Canada. Yet we need to boost investment in ambitious circular economy projects.
Couldn't investments in virgin plastic resins, which are highly polluting, be redirected to the circular economy instead?
President and Chief Executive Officer, Chemistry Industry Association of Canada
Absolutely. The entire industry is focused on circularity, but it will require a lot of capital to get there. The biggest challenge is the recovery of post-consumer materials and making them available as feedstock. As Mr. Valiante said, that's the key contribution of extended producer responsibility. We can collect these materials in a harmonized manner and at scale.
Mr. Roter talked earlier about NOVA Chemicals recovering its plastics in British Columbia and putting them back into their traditional infrastructure in Alberta to make recycled content plastics. We see all our leading companies invest in this area today. It is the future.
Liberal
NDP
Taylor Bachrach NDP Skeena—Bulkley Valley, BC
Thank you, Mr. Chair.
Ms. Langlois-Blouin, I think a lot of people are surprised—I'm surprised—that only 9% of our plastic waste is recycled. Our recycling systems today can't handle the volume or the complexity of the materials on the market. Some products still aren't designed to even be recyclable.
To what extent do plastics producers and recyclers engage with each other on the topic of recyclability of plastic products?
Vice-President, Operational Performance, RECYC-QUÉBEC
Good question.
Our figure in Quebec is a little higher, but you're right. Losses occur in the collection and recycling chain, especially at home, because people don't know how to differentiate between the types of plastic. The concept of labelling or [Technical difficulty—Editor], which involves guidance from the Competition Bureau of Canada, also constitutes a potential solution to make sorting easier for people and to reduce or even eliminate plastic materials directly at home.
Steps are being taken and networking workshops have been held in Quebec, particularly with regard to fibres. There's more and more collaboration. For example, in Quebec, the Circular Plastics Taskforce, or CPT, is a group of companies that market plastic products. The taskforce has made investments and conducted research to cover all aspects of the issue and to assess the needs not only of sorting facilities, but also of packers and recyclers, in order to prevent one part of the chain from blocking the process. It's important to work on all the parts, meaning the products put on the market and the sorting instructions for people, but also the optimization of the sorting and recycling process.
NDP
Taylor Bachrach NDP Skeena—Bulkley Valley, BC
Thank you for that.
The last question is about the balance between recycling as a strategy for reducing plastic waste and something like banning plastics using CEPA. I understand that if we want to achieve zero waste, we have to reduce plastic waste by 3.3 million tonnes. Even under the best-case scenarios, if we project forward, recycling is only going to get us about 45% of the way there.
Do you feel that recycling and banning plastic products are complementary strategies for reducing plastic waste?
Vice-President, Operational Performance, RECYC-QUÉBEC
Yes, indeed. It's important to work on reducing plastic products at the source and to focus on sustainable alternatives. In our view, it isn't just about plastic, but about all single-use products that have a sustainable alternative. Certain practices and policies can be explored to encourage this use.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Francis Scarpaleggia
Mr. Albas, it's your turn. I believe that you were waiting for an answer from Ms. Mantagaris.