After banning plastic bags at supermarkets and liquor stores nationwide late last year, the federal government has set its sights on the next target in its fight against single-use plastics: food packaging.
On Tuesday, Ottawa opened up the floor to grocery retailers, stakeholders and the general population to provide input on the development of a plan to reduce primary food plastic packaging through a “pollution prevention planning notice,” or “P2” notice.
The government says it is looking for input on what should be factored in when addressing the waste produced by primary food packaging, supply chain considerations, how Ottawa can report and measure its success, and data and insight from food retailers on the footprint this type of plastic leaves.
“Plastics play an important role in the everyday lives of Canadians. However, a significant amount of plastic food packaging is used only once and then ends up in landfills as waste, or in the environment as pollution,” Environment and Climate Change Minister Steven Guilbeault said in a statement.
“By getting rid of problematic plastic food packaging, replacing single-use packaging with reuse-refill systems, and ensuring that plastics, if needed, are designed to be safely reused, recycled, or composted, we can all help move Canada toward zero plastic waste.”
Primary packaging refers to what comes in direct contact with the product, and can include wraps for vegetables and meat, plastic condiment bottles or bags used for pet food.
According to the federal government, food packaging is a “significant contributor” to single-use plastic waste and pollution — in fact, it makes up approximately one-third of all plastic packaging in Canada, with half of that being primary packaging. In addition, a large portion of this type of product is considered single-use, such as juice bottles, snack wrappers and meat trays.
A consultation document prepared for the P2 notice notes that a recent audit of large grocery stores in the country also found that nearly two-thirds of products in produce, baby food, pet food and soup sections of the stores were packaged with plastic intended for single use, something the government has stressed it wants to ban.
Tuesday’s call for input is the latest move by Ottawa as it continues to implement the single-use plastics ban it announced last year, prohibiting single-use plastic bags and, most recently, banning the manufacture and import for sale of plastic ring carriers used to hold and carry beverage containers.
But food industry researcher and Dalhousie University professor Sylvain Charlebois says the shift is a “big step” that will be a difficult one for the government to take.
“We do have an industry addicted to plastics because it is the cheapest, most effective way to keep food safe fresh for as long as possible. So it’s hard to replace,” he said. “That’s really the issue here is how do you replace plastic? How do you get rid of the addiction?
“My guess is that it will compromise our food affordability. Any alternative solutions will cost more money.”
Charlebois added that Canadians may not want to pay those additional costs, especially as the impact of inflation keeps food prices high.
“People want to see organizations save the planet and people want to see grocers do something about the environment, but they don’t want to pay for it,” he said.
Once input is received and the P2 plan is developed, it will then be used by organizations to determine how to “prevent or minimize the creation of pollutants and waste within its operations.”
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Those most impacted, the government says, will include supermarket chains, grocery stores and supercentres that sell grocery products, such as fresh and prepared foods. The plan also applies to companies that generate more than $4 billion annually through in-store and online sales.
Independent grocers, small businesses, specialty food stores and farmers markets will not be required to implement these plans.
Several objectives were laid out by the government under the plan, including that fresh fruits and vegetables must be distributed and sold in bulk and/or plastic-free packaging, with a goal of reaching 75 per cent by 2026 and 90 per cent by 2028. All primary food plastic packaging will also have to be reusable, recyclable or compostable by 2028.
Charlebois cautioned that Ottawa was “in for some really tough conversations” with the industry over the proposed changes, especially when it comes to produce. He said as plastics tend to increase shelf life and produce often has to travel to reach stores, finding alternatives will be a challenge.
Input can be given until the end of this month either by email or through mailing the plastics regulatory affairs division of Environment and Climate Change Canada.
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