Take Action - Make it a Double-Double on Plastics!

You did it!

Last week, the Canadian government moved to ban six types of single use plastic: checkout bags, straws, stir sticks, six-pack rings, cutlery, and food ware made from hard-to-recycle plastics.

No question, this is big. Even five years ago, I'd say this kind of policy leap was out of reach. And you made it happen by showing you were fed up with plastic pollution and that you were willing to take action in your personal choices and in your communities through initiatives such as the Ontario Chapter’s Plastic Free July Challenge. Thank you and congratulations!

But much more needs to be done to make plastic pollution history - especially because we know that the fossil fuel and chemical industries have woken up to how effective you have been at pushing for action.

Research papers shared at our Conservation Committee last week show how dire the problem with plastics is. One of these, a paper published in the journal Science[1], shows that we need to increase the ambition of existing efforts and set limits on plastic production to truly tackle the plastic waste problem.

In essence, the researchers conclude that, “[i]ncreased waste management capacity alone cannot keep pace with projected growth in plastic waste generation.”

So, even as we celebrate, we need to double down even further to truly tackle plastic pollution and get to zero plastic being released into the environment.

Please write today to thank Minister Wilkinson and the Canadian government for taking a stand on plastics, and to show you stand with them to support even further actions needed to confront plastic pollution.

Sincerely,

Gretchen Fitzgerald

[1] Borrelle et al. 2020. Predicted growth in plastic waste exceeds efforts to mitigate plastic pollution.Science. 369 (6510), 1515-1518. https://science.sciencemag.org/content/369/6510/1515.full

To: The Honourable Jonathan Wilkinson, Environment and Climate Change Minister *

Message Subject *

Your message *

Dear Minister Wilkinson,

Thank you for taking action to deal with plastic pollution by banning six types of single use plastic and committing to regulate plastics under the Canadian Environmental Protection Act.

Science tells us that truly getting to zero plastic waste and dealing with the ever-growing tide of plastic pollution entering our rivers, lakes, and oceans and harming wildlife is going to take even more firm and decisive action.

In addition to thanking you for banning six types of single use plastic, I am writing to ask that you take the following steps:

-	Act swiftly to add plastic to the toxic substance list of the Canadian Environmental Protection Act, 1999 before the end of this year
-	Ban more kinds of single use plastics, such as plastic cups, lids and water bottles 
-	Increase the 2030 target for recycled content for single-use plastics from 50% to 75%
-	Work with your provincial counterparts to create strong polices for circular economy for plastic so that 100% of plastic waste is recovered and 85% is recycled – an initiative that will create jobs and help ensure a just recovery post-COVID-19, and
-	Commit to continue to support coastal communities and fishing organizations to help cleanup of ghost gear and implement gear retention and recovery programs.

Canadians and the global community have joined together in an historic movement over the last few years because the problem with plastic pollution is so dire that it is simply impossible to ignore.

I support the Government Canada taking even more action to truly achieve its commitment to zero plastic waste.

Sincerely,

First Name *

Last Name *

Email *

Street Address

City *

Province or Territory

Postal Code *

Country *