Our Fresh Water Is Seeing More Plastic Litter due to COVID-19: Here’s what Canada should do about it
-
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.
Participating experts
You might also be interested in
COVID-19 Has Canada Using More Plastic. How will it impact our fresh water?
How can Canada's leaders protect our fresh water from plastic pollution without compromising our health and safety?
New Research at IISD Experimental Lakes Area This Summer
IISD Experimental Lakes Area is carefully and safely opening its doors to new research and a slightly larger research team this summer.
Talking trash: SNC has same goals, but a different approach to cleanup
The International Institute for Sustainable Development says the COVID-19 pandemic has Canadians using more single use plastics than ever before.
What can we do about increased plastic use during the pandemic?
Environment Canada estimates we use 15 billion disposable plastic bags per year, just in Canada. These, and other plastics, break down in our lakes and make their way into fish we eat and the water we drink.