Plastic packaging EPR in Canada

An article in the June 2020 journal Waste Management examined extended producer responsibility (EPR) and plastic packaging in Canada (Implementation of harmonized EPR strategies to incentivize recovery of single-use plastic packaging waste in Canada). EPR strategies "leverage corporate resources to reduce single-use plastic (SUP) waste generated by consumers," and allow local jurisdictions to "gain greater control over their waste streams." Should Nova Scotia implement EPR, the potential economic benefits for municipalities would be "$14–17 M CAD in estimated savings," improved solid waste management, and increasing recycling rates. Canada has packaging EPR in five provinces (British Columbia, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, Ontario and Québec) and is under development in New Brunswick. This paper recommends a regional EPR strategy "now that the Canadian federal government has announced a move towards zero plastic waste under the Ocean Plastics Charter."