Plastic needs to be bio-degradable.

Toronto councillor Glenn De Baeremaeker plans to reduce the city's substantial waste by banning or taxing non-recyclable plastics. It would be a move similar to that in Ireland, which introduced a plastic bag tax in 2002 that has recorded a 95% reduction in plastic bag use.

But the issue of a ban has been a growing one in Toronto, not least because even more radical possibilities are being mooted (such as an outright ban on plastic food containers and a tax imposed on plastic bag manufacturers), so that the city can meet its projected plan for reducing 10,000 tonnes of garbage annually.

Last month an association representing the plastics industry, the Environment and Plastics Industry Council (EPIC), claimed the plastics ban would undermine the prospects of recycling firms across the state of Ontario, with the possibility of an outright prohibition on polystyrene, according to Toronto Community News (http://www.insidetoronto.com).

While city councillors deny there's such a plan afoot, the issue seems to have prodded public sentiment both ways. The environmental activist and founder of a business called Life Without Plastic has been keen to underline the harmful effects of substances such as bisphenol A in baby bottles. Jay Sinha started activating because he feared for the health of his child - and that sentiment for reducing harmful toxins is growing among Canadian consumers.

Activist sentiment for the environment.

There is also an "activist" trend for re-using cans and containers through refills. The Toronto environmentally-friendly store Grassroots offers refill stations that allow consumers to refill cans themselves with the help of eco-friendly cleaners.

At the same time Canada has a major plastics industry, with shipments worth nearly US$20 million in 2007, according to Industry Canada. In fact, the country produces about 2% of the world's plastic and employs over 92,000 people as of 2007, while nearly US$2 billion is spent on plastic bags in Canada itself.

Plastic film producer Diamant Art Corporation (DIAAF) has been in the vanguard of those companies attempting to re-direct its resources to finding "green" solutions. Its subsidiary Bio-Plastics Film Inc has come up with a solution to degrade plastic bottles and will distribute its PET degradable additive to various North American bottlers, according to a release from the company.

Diamant has also come up with a non-PVC polystyrene-based stretch film, which it claims is a world "first".

Similarly, Hong Kong and other Asian suppliers connected to the plastics packaging industry in Canada would be recommended to consider recyclable products in processes that contribute to better waste management.

Even if the Canadian government doesn't incorporate recycling taxes or decides not to ban certain plastics, consumers could eventually force their demands on retailers; that would mean a steeper trend for reusable bags, recyclable cups, steel water bottles and other non-plastic packaging.

from Adrian Cheng, Toronto Office

Images courtesy of:
Packaging International
Grassroots Environmental Products