The federal government has paused a significant environmental measure, suspending a ban on exporting single-use plastics that was scheduled to take effect on December 20, 2025. This decision, announced just before Christmas, follows a government assessment that the economic impact on Canada's $35-billion-a-year plastics industry is too severe.
Economic Reality Trumps Environmental Agenda
In an editorial stance, the government argues that the domestic plastics sector is already reeling from tariffs and supply chain issues. Imposing the export ban now, officials concluded, would inflict economic costs that far outweigh the negligible environmental benefits. Instead, Prime Minister Mark Carney’s government is initiating a 70-day consultation period to determine the policy's future path.
The Domestic Ban: A Policy Under Scrutiny
While the export ban is on hold, the domestic prohibition on certain single-use plastics remains firmly in place. This ban, which began in 2022 under former Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, targets grocery bags, cutlery, takeout containers, stir sticks, six-pack ring carriers, and most plastic straws.
Critics have long labeled the domestic policy as "pointless virtue signalling." This criticism is bolstered by the government's own initial impact analysis. That report projected the ban would almost double the amount of garbage entering the waste stream to 2.9 million tonnes between 2023 and 2032. The reason? Heavier substitutes like paper, wood, moulded fibre, aluminum, and alternative plastics.
The Staggering Numbers Behind Plastic Waste
The data reveals a complex picture of Canada's plastic waste problem:
- The six banned items accounted for an estimated 160,000 tonnes of plastic waste annually—just 5% of Canada's total 3.3 million tonnes of plastic waste.
- Of that banned plastic, 86% went to landfills, 4% was incinerated, and a dismal 9% was recycled.
- Only about 1% (29,000 tonnes) became environmental litter, with roughly 2,500 tonnes entering oceans, lakes, and rivers.
This means Canada was not a major direct contributor to global plastic pollution through litter. The far more significant issue was the export of plastic waste to foreign countries. Often shipped under the guise of responsible disposal, this waste frequently ended up in developing nations with a much higher risk of polluting waterways.
The editorial argues that the domestic ban, in its rush to act, created more problems than it solved. It imposed a net cost to taxpayers of $1.4 billion due to more expensive alternatives, while failing to address the core issue of exported waste. The suspension of the export ban marks a pivotal moment for re-evaluating Canada's entire strategy on plastic pollution.
