Research publications

Plastics have become ubiquitous throughout the global economy and in our daily lives as a result of their useful properties and low cost. At the same time, the durability of plastics combined with poor waste management has resulted in an estimated 60% of all plastics ever produced accumulating in landfills and the environment, where they can last for hundreds of years. As plastics break down, they form microplastics – tiny plastic pieces. Microplastics can accumulate persistent pollutants while they circulate in the marine environment and can enter the human food chain through seafood, sea salt and drinking water. Because ocean currents distribute lightweight plastic debris far from its source, the environmental quality of one nation can be negatively impacted by plastic litter originating from other nations. Strategies being deployed around the world to curb plastic waste and marine plastic pollution include: restricting the use of harmful or problematic plastics; requiring producers to be responsible for their products through end-of-life; implementing consumer information campaigns, including encouraging reduction and reuse; incentivizing recycling through deposit return schemes or by requiring minimum recycled content in plastic products; promoting innovation, such as in designing products for reuse and recycling; and supporting improved waste management infrastructure in developing countries with high plastic leakage into the environment. As is the case in many countries, Canada’s largest single category of plastic waste is packaging. The increasing volume of single-use plastics, including plastic packaging, is problematic as these products are only used briefly, rarely recycled and prone to becoming litter. The majority of Canada’s plastic waste ends up in landfills, with only 9% being recycled.