This text is taken from the Courrier de la Planète. Click here to subscribe.
One of our readers, Geneviève Hébert, wonders why we do not require manufacturers of objects and packaging to always indicate whether the latter is recyclable or not, with the well-known acronym of the three arrows with the number at the interior corresponding to the type of material.
When you see the famous Möbius strip, the universal symbol of recycling, it usually means that the material is recyclable. But can we really trust it?
Not 100%, judge Karel Ménard, director general of the Common Front for ecological waste management. The problem is that its use is not mandatory, standardized or verified.
“Generally, there is no mistake. But I wouldn’t put my hand in the fire for all the containers I see on the shelves,” says Mr. Ménard.
However, these acronyms are essentially designed to inform citizens, according to Mr. Ménard, since they are not or no longer used in sorting centers, to his knowledge. This is also confirmed by Philippe Cantin, vice-president of public affairs and government relations for Éco entreprises Québec.
The relevance of these logos should be reassessed, believes Mr. Ménard. “If we judge that it really serves the industry and that it increases recycling, it should be regulated. If an industry identifies their ‘number 5’ plastic and it’s actually a 6, they should be penalized,” he says. Such a framework would require a lot of management, resources and inspectors, he believes.
Moreover, even if a material is theoretically recyclable, this does not mean that the facilities exist in your region for it to be really recycled. Thus, consumers should rather rely on the indications of their municipality on what is accepted or not in the recycling bin.
Changes on the horizon
Federal Environment Minister Steven Guilbeault signaled last summer his intention to clarify the labeling of recyclable and compostable plastics. After public consultations, a framework document for a proposed regulation was recently released by Environment and Climate Change Canada. It is open for public consultation until May 18.
Single-use packaging and plastics would be required to bear a symbol determined by certain criteria, such as being accepted into the collection system of at least 80% of a province’s population and having a at least 80% reclamation in North American reclamation companies. The labels would be simplified. Instead of seeing numbers and codes accompanying the three arrows, we would see the mention “recyclable” or “non-recyclable”, in addition to a check mark or an X. A QR code would provide more details on the recyclability of the item.
These rules would become mandatory gradually by 2030. The document does not specify what the control measures would be to enforce them.
While waiting for such changes, Karel Ménard suggests asking yourself a few simple questions to decide what to put in your green or blue bin.
“Is it a container, a print or a packaging? Is it plastic, cardboard, metal or glass? If the answer to these two questions is yes, it goes to the baccalaureate, ”he reports. Otherwise, it is better to abstain.
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