Recent Updates
- PFAS and Federal Plastics Registry Reporting Deadlines
Environment and Climate Change Canada (ECCC) has announced two critical reporting deadlines: Both of these reporting requirements are monumental … Continued - Global Plastics Treaty Yet to Be Finalized at INC-5
The United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP)’s fifth Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee (INC-5) did not reach an agreement on a global treaty … Continued - Global Plastics Treaty Talks Heat Up
The INC-5 meeting on the global plastics treaty kicked off November 25, 2024 in South Korea. Canada is expecting these … Continued
Plastic packaging and single-use items in retail
Retailers are actively working to make supply chains and packaging more sustainable, including a shift away from plastic checkout bags and other single-use items. Beyond this, retailers are also:
- Removing problematic plastics from supply chains (e.g. expanded polystyrene, etc.),
- Increasing the use of post-consumer recycled content,
- Improving labelling and communicating with customers,
- Simplifying packaging to make recycling easier, and
- Exploring alternatives including reusable and compostable packaging.
In order to improve environmental outcomes and promote innovation, RCC and its members work with all levels of government in addition to manufacturers and other trade associations.
Plastics and alternative issues RCC advocates for on behalf of retailers
Single-use plastics and waste reduction
Municipalities across Canada continue to adopt or are considering adopting bans in an effort to decrease the use of single-use plastic items. While the majority of municipal bans focus on shopping bags, there has been a growing trend around banning other single-use items, including plastic straws, stir-sticks, and polystyrene food packaging, among others.
The federal government has also announced its intention to ban six plastic items as of 2021, including plastic checkout bags, stir sticks, six-pack rings, cutlery, straws and food service ware made from problematic plastics.
Given that municipal bans create a patchwork effect across the country, RCC is currently advocating for a federal ban to provide producers with consistency while improving environmental outcomes.
Alternatives (e.g. reusable/compostable packaging)
In recognition of single-use plastic bans, RCC believes it is important to create clear frameworks and guidelines for alternatives, including reusable and compostable products and packaging. Beyond this, RCC advocates on the need for green infrastructure to ensure alternatives can be properly managed while facilitating best practice sharing through RCC’s Plastics Committee.
To stay informed of single-use item bans, material alternatives and more, members can request to join the Plastics Committee.
Tools and resources
Shopping bag and single-use plastic regulations across Canada
To help you find your way through the patchwork of plastic bag bylaws and regulations, we have assembled a quick reference table.
Overview of federal Single-use Plastics Prohibition Regulations
On June 20, 2022, the Government of Canada released the Single-Use Plastics Prohibition Regulations to ban six categories of single-use plastic (SUPs) items: checkout bags, cutlery, stir sticks, straws, ring carriers and food serviceware. The ban includes various implementation timelines for manufacturing and import, sales and export.
Summary: CCME Roadmap to Strengthen the Management of Single-use and Disposable Plastics
Further to the federal government’s commitment to achieving the Canada-wide Action Plan on Zero Plastic Waste, the Canadian Council of Ministers of the Environment (CCME) has developed A Roadmap to Strengthen the Management of Single-Use and Disposable Plastics. The roadmap provides key priority items for further regulatory consideration and provides jurisdictions direction on options related to management approaches.
Packaging considerations and material alternatives
To help prevent waste from entering the environment and improve the input and output of recycling streams, it is important for companies to regularly review packaging portfolios. Regular reviews can help teams identify opportunities to reduce packaging, remove problematic elements and/or switch to material alternatives.
What is the Canada Plastics Pact (CPP)?
Launched on January 27, 2021, the Canada Plastics Pact (CPP) serves as a pre-competitive, multi-stakeholder collaboration forum for companies working towards establishing a circular economy in Canada. RCC is proud to be a founding member of the CPP, along with more than 40 partners representing industry, government, NGOs and more.
Retailers’ Guide to the Federal Plastic Registry Section 46 Notice
On April 20, 2024, Environment and Climate Change Canada (ECCC) published a Section 46 Notice with new reporting requirements of certain plastic manufactured items for 2024, 2025, and 2026. The notice outlines who is required to report, what plastic product categories need to be reported on, and what data points are required for reporting. All reporting is due on September 29th, 2025 for the 2024 calendar year.
Member committee
Plastics Committee
The Plastics Committee is actively engaged in monitoring single-use plastics bans across the country to support member compliance while exploring packaging and material alternatives (e.g., reusable options, compostables, etc.). The committee also focuses on best practice sharing for a range of topics including eco-design, recycled content, and improved vendor/customer communications. Committee members advise and support RCC volunteers and staff who sit on stakeholder and advisory/consultative bodies and guide RCC staff in the development and presentation of RCC positions on plastics issues to all levels of government. (Meets monthly)
Contact Harrison Brook, Manager Sustainability at hbrook@retailcouncil.org for questions or more information on:
- Joining EPR/Stewardship and Plastics Committees
- Support on sustainability compliance