e-1557 (Environmental pollution)

Petition to the Minister of Environment and Climate Change

• Over 550 million plastic straws are used every day;
• Most plastic straws are not recycled nor can they be;
• Plastic waste poses an enormous threat to wildlife, is a danger to human health and costs millions to the Canadian economy;
• Every piece of plastic ever produced still exists today;
• Most single-use plastic straws are discarded, after an average use of 30 seconds;
• Straws are a big contributor of the 8 million tons of plastic entering the sea each year;
• In this day and age there are so many alternatives, such as paper, bamboo, or reusable straws made of stainless steel of glass;
• The effect that our love affair with plastic has on the environment become more clear each day. Plastic straws and utensils account for a large percentage of waste collected during beach cleanups each year;
• There are biodegradable and reusable options available; and
• There are currently similar petitions in the UK and EU, with several other countries proposing bans and surcharges on single use plastic items. Canada should not be behind on this global trend.