Processors and the fresh produce sector working toward federal 2021 deadline.Ottawa—Two food processor associations have launched efforts to reduce their member's use of plastic in packaging in line with a federal government objective of banning single use plastics by 2021.Food & Consumer Products of Canada (FCPC) has endorsed the Ellen MacArthur Foundation's vision for a New Plastics Economy (NPE), which supports a shift to zero plastic waste.NPE is a joint initiative of the MacArthur Foundation and the UN Environment Agency and aims to have businesses, governments, and NGOs collaborate to find ways to ensure plastic never becomes waste.FCPC CEO Michael Graydon said FCPC aims to lead the Canadian grocery sector in pushing “for sustainable packaging innovations that keep plastic waste out of the environment without compromising safety or affordability for Canadian families.” A recent national poll by Abacus Data found 90 per cent of Canadians are deeply concerned about the impact of plastic waste on the environment.Meanwhile Michael Burrows, Co-chairman of Food & Beverage Canada (FBC) said the federal government needs to work closely with the food industry to ensure companies can transition their products to new packaging options.Burrows, CEO, Maple Lodge Farms, said food and beverage manufacturers acknowledge plastic waste reduction “is a complex but important priority. Eliminating plastic waste from the environment will require federal, provincial and municipal governments to work closely with waste management stakeholders, packaging manufacturers and plastics users to achieve national solutions.”A plastics reduction working group set up by the Canadian Produce Marketing Association and the Canadian Horticulture Council has held several meetings to review the available information on plastics use and chart a course for the future,It wants to identify the challenges and opportunities facing the produce industry and look at innovations that could eliminate unnecessary and problematic single use plastics.The working group also wants to ensure plastics used by the produce sector are reusable, recyclable or compostable and highlight the need for increased and improved recycling opportunities.It said achieving the federal objective “will require that actions be taken in many areas, in some cases to enhance current performance, and in others, to transform and adopt new practices and behaviours.” The working group wants a plastics-reduction strategy based on sound science and business-best practices that allow the opportunity for the produce industry to identify, prioritize and implement systems-wide changes.Graydon said FCPC will encourage its members to participate in the global plastic reduction strategy and commit to specific targets to achieve the vision, including making all packaging 100 per cent reusable, recyclable, or compostable by 2025.Food and beverage manufacturers recognize that plastic pollution is an important environmental issue that must be addressed for the health of oceans, lakes parks, marine animals and wildlife in Canada and around the globe, he said. Every year, Canadians throw away over 3 million tonnes of plastic waste, with less than 11 per cent of plastics being recycled.FBC co-chairman Daniel Vielfaure said, “It is important to remember that packaging serves an important purpose for portion control, convenience and food safety. Where we cannot eliminate packaging, we need to encourage and incent the development of new and innovative packaging options that reduce our reliance on single use plastics.”The federal government must ensure Canada's waste management systems are primed to accept new packaging solutions, he said. In addition, standards and targets for plastics collection, recycling and recycled content requirements should be set nationally to ensure consistency across Canada.Alex Binkley is a freelance journalist and writes for domestic and international publications about agriculture, food and transportation issues. He's also the author of two science fiction novels with more in the works.