OTTAWA — Our world is facing a plastic disaster. An estimated 22 million kilograms of plastic leaks into the ocean every day, roughly equivalent to dumping a garbage truck full of plastic into the oceans every minute. Today, on World Oceans Day, Oceana Canada – supported by Canadians from coast to coast to coast – is calling to end the plastic disaster by urging Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and Environment Minister Jonathan Wilkinson to fulfil their commitment to ban harmful and unnecessary single-use plastics, such as straws, bottles, cups and other food packaging.
Plastic is everywhere and in everything, and it never goes away. Over time, it breaks down into tiny pieces, which we all eat and breathe in. With the world’s plastic production and use increasing every day, the disaster is growing. It is in Arctic ice, every fish tested in the Great Lakes, beluga whales, seabirds and more than half of all sea turtles. Marine life gets entangled in and eats this plastic. Plastics are on the seafloor in the deepest parts of the ocean and have even been found in the ocean breeze. The volume of plastic waste is expected to increase four times by 2050.
“Recent polling has shown that the vast majority of Canadians want a future without plastic pollution,” said Josh Laughren, Executive Director, Oceana Canada. “The government made a commitment to reduce single-use plastics, and it’s critical that this commitment is fulfilled, for the sake of our oceans, for ourselves and our future. Canada has an opportunity to show strong global leadership in the face of the plastic disaster and join other countries in creating a plastic-free future.”
Canada is part of the global plastics problem, producing an estimated 3.3 million tonnes of plastic waste per year. Of this, less than 10 per cent of plastic used in Canada is recycled.
“Canada has committed to help solve this plastic crisis. We’re asking Canadians to lend their support by signing our petition calling on our government to live up to its promise to ban unnecessary single-use plastics by 2021,” said Kim Elmslie, Campaign Director, Oceana Canada. “Together, we can end this growing plastic disaster.”
Canadians can sign the petition to at Change.org/EndThePlasticDisaster.
Oceana is the largest international advocacy organization dedicated solely to ocean conservation. Oceana is rebuilding abundant and biodiverse oceans by winning science-based policies in countries that control one-third of the world’s wild fish catch. With more than 225 victories that stop overfishing, habitat destruction, pollution, and the killing of threatened species like turtles and sharks, Oceana’s campaigns are delivering results. A restored ocean means that 1 billion people can enjoy a healthy seafood meal, every day, forever. Together, we can save the oceans and help feed the world. Visit www.oceana.org to learn more.