Portrait of Plastic Pollution in Eastern Canada: From the Great Lakes to Newfoundland

The increase in the occurrence of plastic pollution in the environment of the St. Lawrence watershed in recent decades makes it imperative to take a systemic approach to managing plastic pollution in Eastern Canada. A comprehensive assessment of the prevalence of plastic products in the environment was carried out to better understand the phenomenon and improve the available assessment methods. Among the items most found during cleaning activities, the organization was able to notice the abundance of cigarette butts, various pieces of plastic, plastic bottles, and multiple plastic packaging.

These observations lead us to reiterate the insidious impact of plastic in the St. Lawrence and Atlantic ecosystems. Various environmental stresses, such as environmental contamination, contribute to the overall degradation of the coastal environment in Eastern Canada. These effects remain largely misunderstood and, therefore, ignored during environmental impact assessments, which remain focused on unique species or sectors or the approval of projects. As for the major brands most often listed, the study aims to measure the impact of extended producer responsibility. The organization was able to observe an increased presence of packaging from Nestlé, Tim Hortons, PepsiCo, and several others, which demonstrates the locality of the issue in Canada. This also opens the possibility of better identifying extended producer responsibility in the solutions to be considered for the future.

Through these objectives, our project proves the importance of uniting, raising awareness about the challenges of plastic pollution, and thoroughly documenting the impacts to guide our future actions better and, at the same time, encourage action.

For more information on the production database method, refer to the report Portrait of Plastic Pollution: In Eastern Canada from the Great Lakes to Newfoundland.

Attention: The 2025–2026 data are presented in their raw form and may require further standardization.