Canada is seeking to better control the amount of plastic produced in the country and will require companies that make it to report annually on what they produce.
Environment Minister Steven Guilbeault announced the creation of a national plastics registry, on the eve of the start of negotiations on a global treaty to end plastic waste, Tuesday in Ottawa.
Minister Guilbeault is a key player in these negotiations, which aim to establish an international agreement to eliminate plastic waste by 2040.
Canadians throw away more than 4 million tonnes of plastic each year, and less than a tenth of that mass is actually recycled.
The register will first apply to manufacturers of plastic packaging, single-use and disposable products, as well as electronic equipment. It is planned to expand it in the coming years to cover producers of resins, tires and agricultural products.
These producers will have to declare each year the quantity of plastic they produce and where these products end up.
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