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Canadians recycle more plastics, but recyclers crave more material

North America – Around 322 million kilograms of post-consumer plastic packaging were collected for recycling in Canada in 2015, reports the Canadian Plastics Industry Association. The slight 0.4% (1.3 million kg) year-on-year increase is especially due to a larger volume of high density polyethylene bottles turning up at recycling centres around the country.

Canada’s plastics ‘routinely remain’ in North America to be processed rather than moving to overseas markets, so says the Canadian Plastics Industry Association. It estimates that over 80% of plastic packaging can now be recycled.

The reported plastic quantities represent a net increase of 1.3 million kilograms. HDPE natural bottles provided the overall growth in 2015 with an increase of 5.7 million kilograms; all other categories combined had a decrease of 4.4 million kilograms.

‘We are proud to report that we are seeing slight increases in both the amounts of plastic material collected, and reported as reclaimed in Canada, which is up to 79% (~254 million kgs) from 78%,’ comments Carol Hochu, president and ceo of the association.

She stresses that the higher results are only one side of the coin. Canadian plastics recyclers want more material because they have underutilised capacity, Honchu adds. There is ‘ample opportunity’ for consumers and businesses to supply the nation’s recyclers with more plastics.

Figures revealed in the report "2015 Post-Consumer Plastics Recycling in Canada" are based on voluntary survey taken by 500 companies that handle recycled plastics in North America – ranging from re-claimers, exporters and material recovery facilities to brokers.

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