Page 34 - Plastics News March 2021

internAtionAL news

Australia launches National Canada supports development

Plastic Plan of solutions to reduce plastic
waste

o start dealing with Australia’s mounting plastic crisis,
Tthe country’s federal government last week launched he Government of Canada
its first National Plastics Plan and National Packaging Thas promised financial
Targets. The plan will fight plastic on various fronts, such as support for the development of
banning plastic on beaches, ending polystyrene packaging new solutions to reduce plastic
for takeaway containers and phasing in microplastic filters waste through its Innovative
in washing machines. But we are particularly pleased to Solutions Canada programme.
see a main form of biodegradable plastic will also be The Government of Canada
phased out. “Biodegradable” suggests an item is made
from plant-based materials. But this is not always the has promised financial support
case. Australia’s National Plastics Plan aims to work with for the development of new
industry to phase out this problematic “fragmentable” solutions to reduce plastic
plastic by July 2022. Some biodegradable plastics are waste through its Innovative
made from plant-based materials. But it is often unknown Solutions Canada programme.Minister of Environment
what type of environment they will break down in and how and Climate Change Jonathan Wilkinson has announced
long that would take. This is because not all plant-based funding of up to C$150,000 for the four winners of
plastics are necessarily the programme’s latest Canadian Plastics Innovation
compostable as the Challenges. The challenges, which target sectors
way so me plant- said to generate the most plastic waste, are part
based polymers of the government’s commitments to achieve zero
form can make them plastic waste by 2030 while growing the economy and
incredibly durable. A creating jobs. The winners of the latest challenges
major problem with are Magemi Mining, CACITH (Tengiva), Met-Tech and
“bio degradable” Singular Solutions. Each company will receive funding
plastic is the lack to develop solutions to combat plastic wasteMagemi
of regulations or will develop a durable recycled paper to act as an
standards around how alternative to plastic packaging in products such as
the term should be grocery bags. CACITH will create a network of recyclers
used. This means it to measure textile waste and find new markets for
could, and is, being otherwise wasted materials. Met-Tech will develop a
used to refer to all cost-effective process to recycle more textile waste
manner of things, many while Singular Solutions will create an additive that
of which are not great will allow plastic textile waste to biodegrade in long-
for the environment. Many plastics labelled biodegradable term composting facilities. Innovation, Science and
are actually traditional fossil-fuel plastics that are simply Industry minister François-Philippe Champagne said:
degradable (as all plastic is) or even “oxo-degradable” “Our government works with entrepreneurs and small
– where chemical additives make the fossil-fuel plastic businesses to invest in sustainable solutions that will
fragment into microplastics. The fragments are usually support not only our economy but our environment. “I
so small they’re invisible to the naked eye, but still exist am confident in the work these companies are doing to
in our landfills, waterways and soils.The National Plastics help drive innovation across the country and address
Plan and National Packaging Targets are aiming for at this issue. Together, we are growing the economy,
least 70% of plastics to be recovered by 2025 (including building Canadian technological leadership and
through composting), nothing yet has been said about
how collection systems will be supported to achieve this. contributing to Canada’s fight against plastic waste.”

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