More than 20 plastic makers are asking the Federal Court to end Ottawa’s plan to ban several single-use plastic items, including straws, cutlery and take-out containers.
This is the second lawsuit filed in court by a coalition of plastics manufacturers calling themselves the Responsible Plastic Use Coalition.
The first lawsuit filed in 2021 seeks to overturn the government’s decision to designate plastics as “toxic” under the Canadian Environmental Protection Act.
Environment Minister Steven Guilbeault used the designation to issue regulations banning the sale, import and production of six plastic items.
The second lawsuit, filed in mid-July, asks the Federal Court to strike down the ban, bar the government from using the law to regulate single-use plastics, and prevent the ban from being enforced. works in the meantime.
Guilbeault says he is confident that government regulations will be adhered to and that he would rather work with industry to improve recycling than fight the sector in court.
This report from The Canadian Press was first published on August 10, 2022.