2021.IE22.7

Background

“Plastic pollution is recognized by the Government of Canada, as well as governments and scientists around the world, as damaging to the environment. Residents of the City of Toronto are seeing the impact, now more than ever, of the amount of waste and recycling we create every week when we put out our bins having stayed at home during the pandemic…Municipalities bear a significant burden of managing plastics - as collectors of plastics in the recycling and garbage streams, and as the collector of plastics that end up in the environment in our greenspaces and Waterways. This requires substantial investment in waste management and clean-up costs both from the City and its residents.”

Source: City of Toronto

Item Description

This item proposes that the City of Toronto seek the support of the federal government and urge them to act quickly upon their plans to address the use of single-use plastics, such as introducing a comprehensive national plastics strategy. In particular, it proposes that “City Council endorse the integrated management plan for plastics proposed by the Federal government, which includes: 1) adding plastic manufactured items as a toxic substance…2) banning six single-use items: checkout bags, stir sticks, six-pack rings, cutlery, certain takeout containers and straws; and 3) establishing a minimum requirement for recycled plastic content in new plastic products.”

Source: City of Toronto

Proposed by

Councillor Mike Layton