Canadian groups call for ban on some plastics

By Barry Ellsworth

TRENTON, Canada (AA) - Dozens of environmental groups in Canada called for a ban Monday on some recycled and single-use plastics.

The ban was proposed in the report “Towards a Zero Plastic Waste” published Monday in a bid to put the issue before leaders at the two-day G7 Summit that begins June 8 in Charlevoix, Quebec, Canada.

Coincidentally, the report comes a few days after a similar EU proposal on single-use plastics such as straws and cutlery.

Canada, the host of the G7 Summit this year, has made known it will include on the agenda the suggestion of an international zero-plastics-waste charter for consideration by the leaders of the seven largest world economies.

“While there’s no doubt we need co-ordinated international efforts to eliminate the flow of plastics into our ocean, we need to make sure we do our part at home,” said Ashley Wallis of the Environmental Defence -- one of the organizations behind the report. Others include the David Suzuki Foundation and the Canadian Environmental Law Association.

Among the recommendations is tacking a levy onto single-use plastic products such as disposable plastic containers. Alternatively, a cash deposit could be instituted for returning the containers. Also recommended is a requirement that single-use plastics contain 75 percent recycled content.

The EU went a step further, calling for an outright ban on ubiquitous items such as plastic straws and cutlery.

The plan needs to receive approval from all 28 countries that comprise the EU.

“Plastic waste is undeniably a big issue and Europeans need to act together to tackle this problem,” said EU First Vice-President Frans Timmermans.

Plastic is a major threat to the oceans and to marine and wildlife.

An American study published in 2015 in the journal Science estimated that 8 million metric tonnes of plastic ends up in the oceans each year and will increase significantly if action is not taken.

The Canadian proposal calls for zero plastic waste by 2030, global goals for cutting plastic pollution and the establishment of a fund to set up recycling programs in developing countries.

The G7 members are Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the UK and the United States.