It’s unclear if Canada is on track to eliminate plastic waste by 2030: environmental watchdog

A new report from Canada’s environmental commissioner suggests the federal government is making progress in reducing plastic waste, but it is unclear whether the country is on track to meet its 2030 target.

Commissioner Jerry DeMarco’s audit found that while eleven of the government’s sixteen initiatives to reduce plastic waste achieved “good results” (five of which are still in development), Environment and Climate Change Canada was unable to adequately monitor progress to be followed due to incomplete data collection and an inadequate measurement framework.

“Successfully reducing plastic pollution will require the federal government working together with many others, including provinces, territories, municipalities and the private sector,” DeMarco said in a statement. “With so many partners in the game, robust tracking systems are critical.”