THE PULSE
NEWSLETTER OF THE CANADIAN ASSOCIATION OF RECYCLING INDUSTRIES
Vol. 21, Issue 4, April 2016
MESSAGE FROM THE CHAIR
Finance Minister Bill Morneau recently tabled Canada’s 2016 budget. Economics and the environment are intertwined throughout the document, with funding for green infrastructure proposed as a means to stimulate Canada’s “clean growth economy”. Innovation and job creation are touted as the benefit of investment in green energy, and the budget demonstrates that sustainability is a top priority. CARI believes a national recycling policy could be an additional means to bolster clean growth in Canada, and one that deserves policymakers’ attention.
Recently, Prime Minister Trudeau and Canada’s First Ministers signed the Vancouver Declaration on Clean Growth and Climate Change, a pan-Canadian climate strategy to which the budget relegated $2.9 billion. A large component of this plan is to establish national carbon pricing. Presumably, the government could develop policy instruments to support a national recycling strategy as well.
This type of strategy could develop procurement policies, expressly define secondary materials as separate from waste, and promote fair tax treatment of goods made from secondary resources. Policy instruments could help reduce waste by improving standards for incorporating secondary resources in the manufacturing of consumer goods. If demand for recycled products increased, manufacturers would be encouraged to innovate, to conduct research, and to design sustainable products that are made for recycling.
Not only could a national recycling policy decrease the use of precious raw materials, it could ease the financial burden of waste management processes by preventing materials from entering the waste stream altogether. By properly defining recycling activities and easing restrictive regulations and tax systems, valuable commodities would stay in the production chain.
Our industry is a positive contributor to the Canadian economy, one that creates jobs while minimizing the environmental impact of production. Sustainable practices are at the heart of recycling and Canada’s clean growth economy only stands to benefit from government support of recycling on a national level.
Adam Chisick
CARI Chair
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SWITCH OUT UPDATE
As of 2016, the Switch Out program will hold a year-round collection sweep. An “active” program participant is now defined as anyone who returns at least one switch over the course of 12 months, rather than 6 months.
Please contact program coordinators at [email protected] or call (416) 922-2448 ext. 345, or contact CARI staff at [email protected] for more information.
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CARI’s 75th ANNUAL CONVENTION
Are you registered for our 75th Annual Convention?
We are excited to be celebrating our diamond anniversary in Ottawa, Ontario at the Westin.
For program information and registration, visit our website or contact Donna Turner at 705-835-1592.
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FAST FACTS
- ISRI has joined the Manufacturers for Trade Enforcement coalition to help ensure stronger enforcement of U.S. trade laws. The coalition aims to raise concerns over the automatic granting of China’s market economy status (MES), set to take place at the end of 2016. China has failed to meet specific criteria U.S. law requires before MES is to be granted. One U.S. report highlights how the Chinese government has allowed for massive excess capacity in manufacturing industries such as steel and aluminum, despite weak market demand. This type of state support harms global markets and is in conflict with the established criteria for granting MES.
- Canadian Pacific Railway has terminated its efforts to merge with Norfolk Southern after the U.S. Justice and Defense departments expressed opposition to the proposed merger. It was reported that Norfolk had objected to the proposal as well, citing an inadequate offer price and resistance from customers and U.S. regulators.
- Newspapers in eastern British Columbia are refusing to join the provincial recycling stewardship program for printed paper and packaging run by MMBC. One industry executive claims that numerous small town newspapers would be forced to shut down if charged the $200 per ton fee MMBC requires to subsidize the cost of recycling.
- The Commission for Environmental Cooperation (CEC) has published guidelines on the recycling of spent lead-acid batteries (SLAB’s) in North America. The guidelines were developed in collaboration with environmental agencies, relevant stakeholder groups and technical experts from the U.S., Canada and Mexico. Best practices and technologies for collection and recycling of SLAB’s are consolidated in the report, with the goal of better protecting the environment, workers and the public.
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Canadian Association of Recycling Industries
130 Albert Street Suite 1906
Ottawa, On K1P 5G4
Canada
Telephone: 613-728-6946
Fax: 705-835-6196