Canadian plastics and chemistry associations to create new combined plastics division

The Chemistry Industry Association of Canada (CIAC) and the Canadian Plastics Industry Association (CPIA) are planning to join forces to create a new plastics division to be housed within the CIAC.

Pending CIAC and CPIA board and member approval, the division would be operational in July 2020.

The move would see the dissolution of Toronto-based CPIA. In a notice to its members, CPIA said that members in good standing as of the closing date will automatically join the new division in CIAC as members or participants. “There will be change for each organization should the realignment be approved, and the details of those plans will be developed in the next few months,” CPIA said. “As part of the process, CPIA will be wound up and dissolved.”

CPIA president and CEO Carol Hochu told Canadian Plastics that the precise name of the new plastics division is still to come. “And the plan for staffing the new plastics division within CIAC is still in the early stages of development,” she said. “There are no plans for staff reductions as part of the process.”

CIAC and CPIA have a history of working collaboratively on projects and issues throughout the years. In 2018, CIAC and CPIA and their members jointly announced ambitious waste reduction targets of 100 per cent of plastics packaging being reused, recycled, or recovered by 2040 and 100 per cent of plastics packaging being recyclable or recoverable by 2030. Additionally, they agreed to a broader commitment to Operation Clean Sweep, an international program designed to prevent resin pellet, flake, and powder loss and help keep this material out of the marine environment.

“CIAC and CPIA have very complementary strengths and mandates,” said Joel Rudolph, chair of the CPIA’s board of directors, and also the vice president, strategy and business development, of Farnell Packaging in Nova Scotia. “Combining those strengths will increase our share of voice about urgent plastics issues with important stakeholders at a time when our sector needs the clearest and most unified national voice possible.”

“The chemistry and plastics sectors have a long history of innovation to solve society’s most pressing needs by developing new processes, solutions and products,” said Ed Bechberger, president, ERCO Worldwide and chair, CIAC board of directors. “Our boards agree that the time is definitely right to come together and facilitate the shift to a circular economy.”

According to CPIA, the boards of the two organizations are continuing their due diligence, with the intention of finalizing agreements and recommending confirmation of the transaction by members in Q1 of 2020, with a target closing date of July 1, 2020.

Headquartered in Toronto, CPIA has served as the national voice for and leader in plastics industry sustainability across Canada since 1943.

The CIAC is the association for leaders in the chemistry sector in Canada, and represents more than 60 members and partners across the country.