{"id":691,"date":"2021-04-17T02:57:21","date_gmt":"2021-04-17T02:57:21","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/project.journalism.torontomu.ca\/jrn-305-2021\/?p=691"},"modified":"2021-04-18T20:17:33","modified_gmt":"2021-04-18T20:17:33","slug":"opinion-canada-should-expand-its-single-use-plastics-ban","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/project.journalism.torontomu.ca\/jrn-305-2021\/2021\/04\/17\/opinion-canada-should-expand-its-single-use-plastics-ban\/","title":{"rendered":"Opinion: Canada Should Expand its Single-Use Plastics Ban"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

The issue of plastic pollution has gained a lot of traction in recent years and in response, many countries have begun imposing plastic bans. This includes Canada, which is currently in the process of formulating a single-use plastic (SUP) ban to come in effect by the end of this year. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Last October, the Canadian government released a discussion paper <\/a>on its proposed plan to shift the Canadian plastic economy from linear to circular by banning some SUP items based on certain criteria.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

(Daphn\u00e9e Lacroix\/canva)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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Underwhelmingly enough, the list included a staggering total of six items: plastic checkout bags, stir sticks, six-pack rings, cutlery, straw and food service ware.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

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(Daphn\u00e9e Lacroix\/Vector Creator)<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

This is profusely insufficient as it excludes many important SUPs that do meet the ban\u2019s qualifications. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Environment Minister Jonathan Wilkinson himself recognized the small impact the ban will have, stating<\/a> that it covers \u201ca fraction of one percent\u201d of the SUP products we use.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

We are long past the point where we can rely on minimal-impact solutions to combat plastic pollution. The environment requires unreserved and effective actions, something the current proposed ban cannot achieve.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Public opinion and ENGOs<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

According to a poll<\/a> commissioned by Oceana Canada, an environmental NGO, two-thirds of Canadians polled want to see other harmful items added to the list, including hot and cold drink cups, cigarette filters and styrofoams.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Staff at Oceana Canada are also unimpressed with the ban. \u201cThere is public appetite for stronger federal action,\u201d said Oceana Canada plastic campaigner Ashley Wallis in a press release<\/a>. \u201cNow is the time to meaningfully reduce plastic production and use, including banning more of the unnecessary and harmful single-use plastics that are choking our life-sustaining oceans.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Not only is a majority of people siding with the ban\u2019s expansion, but enough scientific evidence shows that a wider ban is exactly what the environment requires. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Scientific evidence<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Two independent studies published in the journal Science<\/em> last September found<\/a> that the rapid growth of the plastic industry is outpacing our ability to collect and recycle plastic waste and in turn, is the principal culprit for the exponential amounts of plastics found in the seas. Both studies came to the conclusion that decreasing the production of virgin plastic is fundamental to reduce plastic waste.<\/p>\n\n\n\n