Revisiting Paper (CONT’D FROM PAGE 14)
so complex. Plastic is a complicated material made from a non-renewable resource, and there are many different types of resins with different properties. Generally speaking, the types of plastics that are re- covered and recycled the most are those that have es- tablished end markets in place where used plastic can be readily sold so that they can be used in place of virgin ma- terials. Which means that only some forms of plastics can be recycled, as evidenced by that 9 percent figure above. Which further means that only some types of plastics may be able to develop the necessary conditions needed for a circular economy model. Most materials can be recycled if given the right condi- tions, such as access to recycling and active recycling by consumers, minimal contamination, available and effective processing technologies and equipment, and most impor- tantly, the existence of established end markets, which al- low recycled materials to be bought and used in place of virgin materials. That doesn’t mean those conditions exist for all mate- rials consistently or at scale. But they do exist for paper packaging, which is one of the most widely recycled ma- terials. For Canada’s paper packaging industry, treating paper packaging as the valuable resource that it is – a renew- able resource that can be used again and again through the act of recycling – is built right into our industry’s DNA. CONTINUED ON PAGE 18
it is recycled, and makes its way back to the mill to start the process over so that it can be remade into new paper packaging products. And this happens up to seven times. This blog is not meant to provide a legal perspective on the court’s ruling, but its purpose is to reinforce the im- portance of circular economies and to once again show how paper packaging is a shining example of a circular economy successful story. According to data from ECCC, Canadians throw away over 3 million tonnes of plastic waste every year, of which 9 percent is recycled; which means that 91 percent of that plastic waste is not diverted or recovered, representing a lost opportunity of $7.8 billion, according to the Economic Study of the Canadian Plastic Industry, Markets and Waste. We know that the Canada Plastics Pact (CPP) is work- ing to create a circular economy in Canada, and they have several targets they are looking to achieve by 2025, in- cluding having 50 percent of plastic packaging recycled or composted, and to achieve 30 percent recycled content across all plastic packaging. These are laudable goals that, if achieved, could help address the rapid proliferation of plastic waste. But it doesn’t necessarily mean that a circular economy ap- proach could be developed for all forms of plastics. The business and environmental case is clear, but what’s less clear is how to approach a material that is
16 December 25, 2023
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