Page 32 - Plastics News April 2021

internAtionAL news

Canadian government announces Orillia city council asks

funding for plastic waste government to reconsider time
management line for ban

anada's government has he City of Orillia, in
Cannounced new funding TOntario ,canada is asking
for improving plastic waste the federal government to
management in the country. reconsider its timeline for
Agriculture and Agri-Food implementing a ban on
Minister Marie-Claude Bibeau single-use plastics. During
said that more than C$4.5m its meeting Monday, which
($3.5m) will be invested in stretched out over several
five new projects that aim hours, council committee
to improve plastic waste
management and on-farm revisited a motion — which
sustainability, as well as was postponed last month
advance research into bioplastics. Non-profit industry to support, in principle, the feds’ proposed ban
stewardship organisation Cleanfarms will receive up to on certain single-use plastics. The point of the
C$1.1m ($873,840) through the government’s Canadian postponement was to allow for feedback from the
Agricultural Strategic Priorities Programme. The company Couchiching Conservancy, Sustainable Orillia, the
will develop a strategy to manage the estimated 60,000t city’s environmental advisory committee (EAC) and
of plastic waste generated on Canadian farms every year. local plastics manufacturers Barrie Plastics and
This project will also increase farmer engagement towards Polyethics Industries. In a report to council, EAC chair
recycling programmes and explore ways to deliver long- Michael Williams wrote, “The federal government
term, permanent programmes to help them continue to recommendations do not go far enough and the
improve the sustainability of their operations. Research timeline is not fast enough for reducing plastic
and development firm EcoEnviro Labs will receive up to production and banning all non-essential and single-
C$1m ($795,575) through the government’s Innovative use plastic.” “We can wait for the federal government
Solutions Canada programme. The company will use this to regulate the low-hanging fruit — the relative few
to fund its testing of organic bioplastic mulch made from plastics that are easy to get out of the system,” he
poultry feathers. Biocarbon solutions developer Titan wrote. “We can sit back and wait to see what the
Clean Energy Projects will also receive up to C$1m through province does as far as producer responsibility goes.
the programme. The company plans to use the funding Or we can rise to meet this challenge and act now,
to pilot a food-grade quality bioplastic designed for fruit just like the small town of Fort Frances has done.”
or prepared vegetable containers. Bioplastic company Like the EAC, Coun. Tim Lauer had concerns about
TerraVerdae Bioworks will receive up to C$1m ($795,575), the timeline. The federal plan is to ban single-use
and alternative fibre pulping company Red Leaf Pulp will plastics including straws, plastic cutlery and plastic
receive C$495,000 ($394,119). Red Leaf Pulp will use its bags by the end of 2021. It also includes a target of
funding to research and trial a straw pulp biopolymer, having at least 50 per cent recycled content in plastics
while TerraVerdae Bioworks plans to develop advanced products by 2030. Council’s motion was amended to
biodegradable bioplastic film and injection-moulded
products using its funding. Bibeau said: “Today’s funding urge the government to reassess its timelines and
will support farmers looking for ways to better manage “consider a more aggressive benchmarking schedule.”
their plastic waste and help advance the necessary work to Coun. Ralph Cipolla wanted the motion to go further
turn crop residues and other agricultural by-products into to say, “if the federal government doesn’t react by
renewable energy. This is a win-win for our hard-working late October, early December, that we find a way to
farmers, the environment and Canada’s bioeconomy.” ban single-use plastics in Orillia.”

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