Recycling advocates say for Alberta to become a North American recycling hub, it needs to take plastics manufacturers to task on designing and directing where products go once they’ve been used. As part of its natural gas strategy announced in October, the government said it will continue to seek investment in petrochemicals, along with working with the Plastics Alliance of Alberta to make the province a leading jurisdiction for plastics recycling by 2030. Alberta has its sights set on establishing a circular economy in which plastic waste is reused in new products, something it could be well-positioned to make happen because of its large petrochemical manufacturing industry.
Recycling advocates and municipalities have long said Alberta should look to something known as extended producer responsibility (EPR), which would make producers take a hands-on role in the use or disposal of their products. Another key way to advance recycling is changing how products are designed and made in the first place, which could mean requirements for integrating recycled content in new products.
Tammy Schwass, executive director of the Alberta Plastics Recycling Association, said EPR could get producers building and investing in better recycling infrastructure. “EPR is the way to go because you put the financial and legal responsibility back on the producer,” said Schwass, adding that right now Alberta is one of the few provinces in Canada where big waste manufacturers aren’t required to help pay for disposal.