The table below contains more information regarding the indicator.
| Indicator name |
Proportion of discarded plastic leaked permanently into the environment |
|---|---|
| Target |
No specific target |
| Indicator description |
This indicator measures the proportion of discarded plastic leaked permanently into the environment. Of total discarded plastic, a small fraction is leaked permanently to the environment - based on data from consulting reports - while the majority is collected by waste and recycling management systems. |
| Geographical coverage |
Canada, provinces and territories |
| Unit of measurement |
Percentage |
| Calculations |
Proportion of discarded plastic leaked permanently into the environment = (Plastic leaked permanently into the environment / Total discarded plastic in products) * 100 |
| Comments and limitations |
The main data sources for collected, diverted, and baled plastic are Statistics Canada’s Waste Management Survey (WMS), CIMT, annual reports from industry associations, producer responsibility programs, and provincial waste and recycling programs. The total plastic in disposed waste is the sum of directly disposed plastic, primary processor residuals, and final processor residuals, which is derived by combining WMS data with the underlying data from Environment and Climate Change Canada’s National Waste Characterization Study. |