Brief

Our Fresh Water Is Seeing More Plastic Litter due to COVID-19: Here’s what Canada should do about it

Plastics are one of the most popular materials in existence. They are relatively inexpensive to produce, durable, and can be used in a diverse range of products.

 

August 10, 2020
  • We need to move forward with the Canada-wide strategy on zero plastic waste

  • We need to provide educational resources to the public on more sustainable PPE use and disposal

  • We must invest in research and innovation on plastic pollution in fresh water as part of sustainable recovery measures

  • We support and develop sustainable plastic waste management systems

As part of the changes to our daily life brought about by COVID-19, Canadians’ reliance on certain types of single-use plastics has increased. Policymakers are also facing pressure to reverse or suspend legislation that would address plastic waste and pollution, such as Canada’s proposal to ban harmful single-use plastics by 2021.

We explore the impact that this could have on our freshwater supplies, and what the Government of Canada needs to do about it.