Mandatory reporting to Federal Plastics Registry

Summary#

The federal government, under the Canadian Environmental Protection Act, 1999, is requiring companies and other organizations to report data on many plastic resins and a wide set of plastic products to the Federal Plastics Registry for the calendar years 2024, 2025, and 2026. The information will feed research, inventories, targets and guidance on plastics in Canada.

What it does#

• Requires people and businesses that make, import, sell, manage or generate certain plastic resins and products to submit data to the online Federal Plastics Registry.
• Applies to a long list of resins (for example: PET, HDPE, PVC, PP) and many product groups, including packaging, electronics, tires, construction materials, agriculture items, fishing and aquaculture gear, textiles and many single‑use products.
• Phases reporting in over three years:
  • For 2024: initial reporting focuses on resins and certain products (including packaging, electronic and electrical equipment, and many single‑use items).
  • For 2025 and 2026: additional product categories and more detailed end‑of‑life and waste‑management data are added.
• Sets firm deadlines to submit the information:
  • Data for 2024 due by September 29, 2025.
  • Data for 2025 due by September 29, 2026.
  • Data for 2026 due by September 29, 2027.
• Allows reporters to ask that submitted information be treated as confidential, subject to the rules in the Act.
• Requires reporters to keep their underlying records and calculations for three years after the submission date.
• The government (Environment and Climate Change Canada) intends to publish parts of the collected data.

Who's affected#

• Manufacturers and importers of plastic resins and of finished plastic products listed in the notice.
• Producers and brand owners who place those plastic products on the Canadian market.
• Service providers that collect, recycle, repair, remanufacture, compost, incinerate or landfill these plastics.
• Industrial, commercial and institutional generators of plastic packaging and product waste.
• Smaller entities are exempt if they manufacture, import, place on the market, generate or manage less than 1 000 kg of covered plastics or packaging per calendar year.
• If it is unclear whether a specific company or product is covered, the registry guidance or Environment and Climate Change Canada can be consulted.

Why it matters#

• The data will give the government a clearer picture of what plastics are being made, sold and managed in Canada. That helps shape future policies, codes of practice, targets and guidance on plastics.
• Businesses that fall into the scope will need to plan for reporting work and record keeping, which may mean new tracking systems or administrative costs.
• Some information will be published, which could affect transparency and public understanding of where certain plastics come from and how they are managed.
• Non‑compliance can lead to legal consequences under the Act, so affected organizations should check whether they must report and meet the deadlines.

Contact and where to report: submissions are through the online Federal Plastics Registry; enquiries were directed to the Federal Plastics Registry at Environment and Climate Change Canada (email provided in the notice).