Canadian newspaper publishing and marketing company TC Transcontinental has announced its plans to create a circular economy for plastic, ensuring the effective management of plastics from sourcing to end-of-life.
Image: TC Transcontinental intends to reuse residual plastic in production of flexible packaging and recycle all the plastic packaging. Photo: Courtesy of H. Hach from Pixabay.
TC Transcontinental said that its president and chief executive officer François Olivier will present the brief as part of public consultations by the Montréal Metropolitan Community (MMC), in relation with its draft amendment to the 2015-2020 Residual Materials Management Plan (RMMP).
As part of the first step to a circular economy for plastic in Québec, the company intends to replace Publisac, a bag currently made from virgin and recyclable plastic, with a bag that reuses 100% residual plastic.
TC Transcontinental is planning to reuse residual plastic in production of its flexible packaging along with Publisac. It said that plastic packaging should be recovered and recycled.
The company said that the MMC and the City of Montréal are responsible for sorting facilities on its territory and plays key role in this regard. It has pledged to make 100% of its plastic packaging to be reusable, recyclable or compostable, by 2025.
TC Transcontinental said it is investing an average of $15m in R&D activities for flexible packaging and has recently secured two orders for its eco-responsible solutions.
The order was received in January 2019 for the design of a 100% recyclable pouch, delivered in collaboration with Harney & Sons, a US-based tea producer, and the second order in 2018 for a peanut bag made from certified compostable materials to support arenas and stadiums’ green initiatives.
Olivier said: “TC Transcontinental has been an important player in the creation of a circular economy for paper in Canada. In Québec, sawmill residues are recovered in order to manufacture newsprint inserts and flyers with a recovery rate of 86%.
“As a leader in flexible packaging in North America, we have the resources, the knowledge, the financial capacity and the desire to play a similar role to ensure the transition towards a circular economy for plastic in Québec.”