Éco Entreprises Québec (ÉEQ) recently released its 2025 Review on the Modernized Curbside Recycling System, representing the first full year operating under a full Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) model, where producers are responsible for both funding and operating the packaging recycling system. While Québec has had a legislated packaging EPR program in place for decades, […]
Reviewing Québec’s New EPR Recycling Data Read More »
For International Women’s Day, the Paper and Paperboard Packaging Environmental Council (PPEC) is highlighting the leadership of women shaping Canada’s paper packaging sector and advancing environmental sustainability. We spoke with Laura Parlagreco, Vice President of Operations at Astro Box Corporation, about how the industry has evolved, what sustainability looks like in today’s regulatory environment, the
Celebrating International Women’s Day with Laura Parlagreco from Astro Box Read More »
On January 30, 2026, the Federal Court of Appeal upheld the federal government’s decision to list “plastic manufactured items” as toxic under the Canadian Environmental Protection Act (CEPA). As a result of the unanimous decision, Canada’s Single-use Plastics Prohibition Regulations remains in effect, maintaining the ban on the manufacture and sale of single-use plastic items.
Canada’s Federal Plastics Ruling: Legal Clarity and the Need to Shift Toward Solutions Read More »
A new Canadian federal government study examining the cost implications of reducing plastic packaging for fresh produce sold in Canada provides insight into how the produce sector approaches packaging decisions. While the study focuses on economic and functional considerations, reviewing its findings through an environmental lens raises questions about how sustainable packaging decisions are made
Environmental Perspective on a New Federal Produce Packaging Study Read More »
From the evolution of Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) for packaging, to plastics policy in flux, the pending CUSMA review, PFAS, and environmental claims, these are some of the environmental issues the Paper and Paperboard Packaging Environmental Council (PPEC) will be watching in the year ahead. Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) – a
PPEC Environmental Outlook: What We’re Watching in 2026 Read More »
Recycling takeaway coffee cups has long been a challenge. Most are made from paperboard lined with a thin layer of plastic or polyethylene to resist liquids, and this lining can make it more difficult to process in recycling systems. As a result, cups have often been excluded from municipal curbside recycling programs. But that’s beginning
Advancing Coffee Cup Recycling in Canada Read More »
After nearly three years of negotiations, the sixth round of talks on a global plastics treaty concluded on August 15 in Switzerland. Representatives from 183 countries – including Canada – and more than 400 organizations met to work toward a legally binding agreement addressing plastic pollution across its full lifecycle, from design and production to
Why the Global Plastics Treaty Matters for Canada’s Packaging Industry Read More »
The Ontario government recently proposed amendments to the province’s Blue Box Regulation, triggering swift reactions from stakeholders. As the environmental voice of Canada’s paper packaging industry, the Paper and Paperboard Packaging Environmental Council (PPEC) believes it’s important to move beyond reactionary narratives and look at the facts. Instead of pointing fingers or pitting stakeholders against
Beyond the Headlines: Context on Ontario’s Proposed Blue Box Changes Read More »
Every so often, a new packaging item ends up with a bull’s-eye on its back. One year it’s plastic bags. The next year, it’s paper bags. Ironically, it’s rarely the reusable bag that gets the same attention – despite the average Canadian owning 23 of them, which might even seem low when you open your
It Was Never About the Straws Read More »
Statistics Canada recently released the results of its Waste Management Survey[1], which includes national waste diversion data for 2023. In this blog, PPEC breaks down the numbers with a focus on paper fibre diversion, discusses the latest plastic figures in the context of recent federal election platforms, and highlights the importance of recycling data. 2023
New StatsCan Data Shows Paper Fibres Most Diverted Material Read More »
