The United States has flagged Canada’s Zero Plastic Waste Agenda as a potential barrier to trade, prompting mixed reactions from Canadian industry stakeholders and environmental advocates.According to an April 1 report issued by the U.S. Trade Representative, American industry representatives worry that Canada’s proposed packaging reforms could threaten food safety and limit U.S. agricultural market access. “Without viable alternatives for plastic packaging, Canada’s proposed reductions in food packaging and packaging compostability requirements could compromise food safety, increase food loss and waste, and restrict U.S. agricultural exports,” the report states.The USTR document highlights several components of Canada’s anti-pollution strategy as problematic, including extended producer responsibility initiatives, mandates for minimum recycled content, labeling standards for compostable and recyclable materials, and limitations on single-use plastic products.The Chemistry Industry Association of Canada offered a measured response to the findings. Christa Seaman, CIAC’s vice president of plastics, told Plastics Recycling Update that Canada received “relatively positive” treatment in the report, with only “a minimal number of trade irritants and barriers to trade between Canada and the U.S.” identified.Despite this assessment, CIAC is advocating for policy changes. Seaman emphasized the need for Canada’s government “to remove regulatory hurdles that restrict cross-border trade in recycled plastics,” noting that “Canada’s plastics value chain depends on reliable access to North American recycled content to meet sustainability targets.”Cross-border plastic scrap trade between the two nations remains substantial. International Trade Commission figures from 2024 show that Canada accounted for 34% of U.S. scrap plastic exports and supplied 36% of U.S. scrap imports. The relationship is particularly significant for polyethylene, with Canada providing 69% of U.S. PE scrap imports and receiving 16% of PE scrap exports. For PET scrap, 24% of U.S. imports came from Canada, though no PET scrap exports to Canada were recorded. (ICE TORONTO)

Fonte notizia: https://www.cpecn.com/