Industry committee  Not yet, because we aren't producing polypropylene in Canada just yet.

Industry committee  Yes. Inter Pipeline broke ground last year and is developing a polypropylene capacity. They'll be using propane, so natural gas, in order to move that forward. What's really interesting about their facility is that they've been doing greenhouse gas emissions intensity tests, and it will be 65% below global average for greenhouse gas intensity.

Industry committee  Not just yet. There is a carbon tax paid on the energy inputs, and because propane is gaseous, it's not yet part of the tax package. However, as part of the clean fuel standard, once it moves away from the liquid gases, it will then start looking at gaseous or solid gases, and that's where the taxes will be in 2023.

Industry committee  You're absolutely right. It's not just one piece. Innovation is an important piece; collections, sorting, advanced recycling techniques are another piece. We support extended producer responsibility as well, which is really having the producers commit to taking back their products.

Industry committee  As I noted, we have a $4-billion project that has not yet broken ground in Alberta, and that could be impacted. We also have a couple of members who are interested in and have been actively pursuing an opportunity in Canada, to the tune of $10 billion. However, designating plastics as toxic would certainly send that chill in investment, and they have other opportunities.

Industry committee  Well, that's just it. Thank you.

Industry committee  It's a great question. You're right: Prior to the pandemic there was that call for unnecessary plastics. What we've found is that in certain circumstances plastics can perform better than other materials. I think our approach is that if you are seeking alternatives, then look at them from a life-cycle basis.

Industry committee  Well, recycling is one option. Mechanical recycling, advanced chemical recycling—

Industry committee  Okay. We're working with key partners to try to build markets that allow us to use those recycled products in roofing tiles, in outdoor furniture, in a number of applications that will allow us to actually.... If you build the market, then it's easier to collect the content. You can set the recycled content standards, and we can adhere to that.

Industry committee  Our members are a very innovative lot. They're scientists and chemists. It's really important to them to help deliver solutions. A lot of the things they're working on right now are product designs. How can you redesign products for recyclability? How can you design them in a way that uses less of those products?

Industry committee  No. The draft science assessment that was conducted by Health Canada and Environment Canada was very clear. They reviewed health impacts and environmental impacts. It was a lot easier with the science available to them to really make strong links to some of the impacts on the environment, particularly endangering wildlife.

Industry committee  You know, I represent the plastics industry, so to say that we support a ban on single-use plastics is not something that—

Industry committee  What we support is the CCME's zero plastic waste strategy. We support enhanced infrastructure for collection. We don't support the fact that plastics are in the environment. They're far too valuable to be in the environment, frankly. They provide incredible inputs into new products, either through the plastics cycle—

Industry committee  Well, it supports thousands of jobs here in Canada. The most important thing is that it doesn't belong in the environment, so we need to put systems in place to ensure that it doesn't leak into the environment.

Industry committee  One of which may be a prohibition.