It’s day four of Waste Reduction Week in Canada. Today, we’re looking at Plastics.
We all work hard to reduce waste and lessen our carbon footprints. This week, we are celebrating our environmental efforts and learning more about important ways to improve our behaviours with Waste Reduction Week!
Waste reduction is an ongoing effort—and Waste Reduction Week is a year-round program—but October 18 to 23, 2021 is a special time to honour our goal setting and our purpose, while continuing to discover how to further our waste-reduction efforts. It’s all about being encouraged to further reduce waste!
Every day this week we will be taking a close look at ways we can reduce waste and the principles behind waste reduction. Education is a vital part of this program—as is motivation and inspiration. Yesterday we learned about E-Waste; today is Plastic.
Plastics
Today, we're looking at Plastics.
Plastic waste has been a growing issue since the 1950s. Over eight billion tonnes of plastic has been produced around the world, with only 23 per cent of it being recovered or recycled. Our disposable culture and normalization of excess plastic packaging could contribute an additional 12 billion tonnes of plastic by 2050.
It’s tragic that only nine per cent of Canada’s plastic waste is recycled each year. This happens even when consumers throw recyclables into their blue bin! Canada could make $8 billion every year on plastic that is lost to waste. Even more tragic is that an estimated eight million tonnes of plastic end up in our oceans each year.
Luckily, many companies craft new products from old plastic—items like shampoo bottles and shoes recovered from the ocean—which helps contribute to the economy and effectively recycle plastic waste. This removes the need to create virgin plastic made from fossil fuels. Businesses, governments, the recycling industry and individuals all need to play a role in helping to reduce plastic waste.
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How Can I Reduce My Plastic Footprint?
- Make simple daily changes to reduce your plastic usage
- Choose products that use recycled or post-consumer PCR
- Use less plastic material and packaging
- Visit the Plastic Action Centre
Waste Reduction Week in Canada Events:
Canadian zero-waste laundry brand Tru Earth is a proud supporter of Waste Reduction Week in Canada.
To join in the 2021 celebrations, Tru Earth will host an official Grand Opening of their Tru Earth Store at 3210 St. Johns Street, in Port Moody, BC.
Events are on from October 18 to 23 at their flagship store:
- 15% off all purchases
- Free giveaways with every purchase
- Fun prize draws daily
- Virgin Radio will be onsite October 23 for the official Grand Opening celebrations
Follow on Instagram to join the fun!
About Waste Reduction Week in Canada
This is the 20th year of Waste Reduction Week in Canada. While Canadian Waste Reduction and Recycling Weeks have been organized since the mid-1980s, in 2001, this national Waste Reduction Week program was formally implemented by the Circular Innovation Council. This program today has the support of many not-for-profit environmental groups as well as all provincial and territorial governments in Canada.
