Created by Notice of intent to issue a section 46 Notice for the Federal Plastics Registry (FPR) on December 30, 2023. This initiative is a major step in Canada’s action to reduce plastic pollution, with the first report due on September 29, 2025.
Scope and Coverage
The Federal Plastics Registry has the most comprehensive scope of any Canadian Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) initiative thus far, covering plastic resins, plastic packaging, and 8 categories of plastic-containing products. Each of the categories has a list of subcategories. These categories are covered at the end of the article.
Companies that correspond to the definition of Producers, Waste Generators, and Service Providers must report annually on the quantity and type of plastic placed on the market and/or collected and recycled, reused or disposed of. This obligation encompasses all in-scope materials regardless of the waste stream; in other words, for the first time, plastics in residential, institutional, commercial, and industrial waste stream must be reported.
Notably, while there are no material exemptions, a de minimis exemption applies for those who place less than 1000kg of waste across Canada federally.
Reporting
The reporting obligations are phased in, with each year building upon the previous one, with the full implementation targeted by 2030. Currently, only reporting requirements up and including 2027 have been published, and further details will be provided before 2027.
The first actionable report is that of the Producer, on September 29, 2025, while the reporting obligations for the two other roles, Waste Generator and Services Provider, go live in 2026.
The fact that a report is due does not mean that it must include all in-scope materials straight away. For example, the first Producer report only includes plastics in packaging, single-use plastic products, and electronic and electric equipment, which was manufactured, imported, or placed on the market, and which are destined for the residential waste stream.
Additionally, the report must include the plastics volumes imported and/or manufactured in or into Canada and the total volumes placed on the market in Canada and each province and territory, per reporting category.
Taking over the reporting obligation
The Notice explicitly allows the obligated Producers and Waste Generators to authorize representatives to input reports on their behalf and act as their main contact. The same authorization exists for producer responsibility organizations (PRO), for the province and scope where this PRO is active.
The registration can only be done by the company’s organizational lead, as determined internally.
Compliance support is available to help companies navigate obligations, registration, and reporting requirements.
Categories and first go-live year
Published March 6, 2025
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