Canada’s federal government is looking into creating a national plastics registry that would track the lifecycle of plastic items in the economy. Environment Minister Steven Guilbeault announced Tuesday that Ottawa has launched public consultations to gather input on how such a registry could work.
“Canadians are demanding action to tackle the plastic waste and pollution crisis, and the federal government will continue to act. The federal plastics registry is an important tool that will help track and manage plastics across the economy,” Guilbeault said in a press release.
Such a registry would require producers to report how much plastic they are putting on the Canadian market and how it is handled when it is no longer in use, the press release said. It would cover a broad range of plastic items, including single-use plastics and items used in packaging, home appliances and electronics.