Plastics, Packaging & Product Footprints: What the HVACR Industry Needs to Know for 2026–2027

Environmental requirements affecting plastics, packaging and product sustainability are evolving rapidly across Canada and the United States. This session will examine Canada’s Federal Plastics Registry, extended producer responsibility (EPR) requirements for packaging, and the growing role of life-cycle assessment (LCA). Using tangible packaging examples and an LCA for an air-conditioning unit, Bruce Calder of Claigan Environmental will illustrate how these requirements translate into practical considerations for HVACR manufacturers, importers and distributors. Attendees will leave with a clearer understanding of the obligations emerging in 2026 and 2027—and the steps their organizations can take now to prepare.