[Podcast] Catching Up on Canadian Environmental Regulation
The Great Green North: A Discussion on Canada’s Environmental Regulations
On September 26–27, 2024, a bipartisan group of state attorneys general (AGs) was joined by nonprofit advocates, academics, and industry stakeholders for a Plastics Forum convened by Connecticut AG William Tong and the State...more
A recent conference led by Connecticut Attorney General (AG) William Tong discussed the alleged problems and potential solutions associated with plastics use and waste. Conference attendees included nearly two dozen...more
California AG Rob Bonta sued global energy giant ExxonMobil Corporation for allegedly deceiving the public about the recyclability of plastic products and creating a global plastics pollution crisis in violation of state...more
The extended producer responsibility (“EPR”) programs for packaging that are currently unfolding in several states impose two primary obligations on producers of covered materials—reporting data and paying fees to a producer...more
In the 1967 movie “The Graduate,” a family friend famously tells the title character “I just want to say one word to you. Just one word. Plastics. There’s a great future in plastics. Think about it.” Well, those of us engaged...more
The US has pivoted in its stance on the global management of plastic production and pollution, with significant potential impacts for industry. The shift comes amid ongoing negotiations toward a UN treaty aimed at addressing...more
Environment and Climate Change Canada (ECCC) published a consultation document on July 4, 2024, seeking input from stakeholders on a proposed roadmap for addressing plastic waste and pollution from the textile and apparel...more
On July 1, 2024, CalRecycle published an updated list of covered material categories as required by California’s extended producer responsibility (EPR) law. SB 54 was signed into law by Governor Newsom in June 2022 and...more
In my October 2023 blog post about “The Plastics Problem in Massachusetts,” I noted that environmental and some mainstream groups have been attacking traditional recycling of plastics in an effort to stop the manufacture of...more
As we wrap up our week-long celebration of Earth Day with insightful articles focusing on various aspects of plastic pollution, this final article focuses on how the courts are being asked to step into ring and referee the...more
Microplastics, plastics less than 5 millimeters in length, are becoming a growing concern due to their ubiquity and persistence in the environment and potential effects on ecological and human health. A 2017 publication by...more
This year’s Earth Day theme is “Planet versus Plastics.” When most people think of plastic pollution, their minds likely conjure up an image of single-use plastics—such as grocery bags, beverage container rings, or discarded...more
As we kick off Earth Day 2024, we look to this year’s Earth Day theme–“Planet versus Plastics.” Planet versus Plastics seeks to focus attention on the challenges that plastic pollution poses to the planet. In recognition of...more
On March 31, Circular Action Alliance (“CAA”), the Producer Responsibility Organization (“PRO”) for California, Colorado, and the only contender for PRO in Oregon, submitted the first draft of its Program Plan (“the Plan”)...more
Countries are preparing for a new round of negotiations on an ambitious legally binding international treaty to address plastics pollution across the entire life cycle of plastics per the UNEA 5.2 mandate in resolution 5/14....more
Last month, I advised plastics manufacturers to prepare for more litigation. Although I am generally loath to speculate, it already looks as though this prediction is coming true. Earlier this month, PennEnvironment and...more
Since July 2021, when Maine passed the nation's first extended producer responsiblity ("EPR") packaging law, four other states (Colorado, Oregon, California, and Maryland) have enacted EPR packaging laws. For brevity, we...more
The Federal Court of Canada (Court) released its decision on November 16, 2023, in Responsible Plastics Use Coalition v Canada, which held that the Federal Government's labelling of all Plastic Manufactured Items (PMI) as...more
Earlier this week, New York State Attorney General Letitia James filed suit against PepsiCo. At the core of the case are allegations that PepsiCo.’s widespread use of single-use plastics has created or contributed to a...more
On September 4, 2023, the Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee on Plastic Pollution (INCPP) released a draft proposal on the reduction of global plastic pollution. The so-called “Zero Draft” proposes measures to address...more
In The Graduate, Mr. McGuire pulls aside Benjamin Braddock, played by Dustin Hoffman, and utters “one word” of career advice – “plastics.” Benjamin’s diffident reaction reflects his wealthy suburban character’s utter lack of...more
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA or the Agency) recently released a “Draft National Strategy to Prevent Plastic Pollution.” Depending on its ultimate composition, the final strategy could materially affect the...more
Materials Covered by the Law SB 54 applies to single-use packaging that is routinely recycled, disposed of or discarded after its contents have been used or unpackaged. This includes items that are typically not refilled or...more
Earlier this month, a team of researchers out of the UK, Canada, and New Zealand published a first-of-its-kind study in the peer-reviewed Journal of Hazardous Material Advances, examining the microplastics pollution potential...more
On April 19, 2023, CDP launched a request for 7,000 companies to disclose on the production and use of the most environmentally problematic plastics, i.e., plastic polymers, durable plastics, and plastic packaging, through...more