Tell the federal government to create a comprehensive single-use plastic ban list!

Dear Minister Hajdu and members of the Cabinet Committee on Economy and the Environment,

I would like to first acknowledge the difficult times we find ourselves in and offer my hope that you and your loved ones are keeping well.

Given the closing of the consultation period for the government’s science assessment on plastic pollution, I am writing to you to express my support for strong single-use plastics regulations that lead us toward a phase out of all non-essential plastics, starting with a comprehensive list of the problematic and unnecessary to be banned in 2021.

I am part of a growing movement of people who are deeply concerned about the amount of plastic in our daily lives, the plastic waste crisis and the devastating impact that plastic pollution is having in our communities, in communities in other parts of the world, on wildlife and our ecosystems.

I believe that now more than ever, we need to rethink our food and product delivery systems to ensure they are healthy, not just for ourselves but for the planet. We need to move towards a zero waste future and stop relying on polluting fossil-fuel derived products that leave us in the past, like single-use plastics.

There is a long list of throwaway plastics that regularly pollute the environment in Canada and around the world. These throwaway plastics usually end up in landfills or are burned, despite their recyclability claims.

I know that recycling will never address the billions of single-use plastics used in Canada every day. That’s why I want a ban at the source, that represents the long list of problematic and unnecessary plastics, as we transition away from our reliance on all non-essential plastics and other disposable products. The time has come to leave the throwaway era behind.

I am requesting that you please ensure the ban includes the following types of plastic and packaging:

- Plastic bags (all weights and formats)
- Cups and lids
- Stirrers
- Bottles and caps
- Straws
- Dishware (including paper plates with plastic lining)
- Cutlery (forks, knives, spoons and chopsticks)
- Cotton swabs
- Take-out containers
- Balloon sticks
- Oxo-degradable plastics
- Plastics labelled ‘biodegradable’ or ‘compostable’
- All forms of polystyrene and polyvinyl chloride (PVC)
- Black and dark coloured plastics
- Plastic packaging made of mixed materials

I want to be able to get my groceries and other necessities without contributing to the plastic waste and pollution crisis. It should not be all up to each individual to dodge plastic and push for reusable solutions. We need the Canadian government to invest in zero waste solutions and act now, to stop our plastic problem at the source.

Thank you,

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Tell the federal government to create a comprehensive single-use plastic ban list!

There’s one more thing you can do!

The plastics industry is stepping up to the plate wherever measures to limit the use of non-essential plastics are being debated or already voted on.