Canadians rate plastic a lesser environmental risk than marijuana smoke or flushing prescription drugs down the toilet, says in-house Department of Health research. Only a third of Canadians, 34%, said they worry about single use plastics..“Fewer are concerned,” said the Healthy Home Environmental Health Survey. “The current research suggests many knowledge gaps continue to exist,” the report added..“Canadians identified common environmental threats as health risks including cigarette smoke (77%), carbon monoxide (77%), mold and humidity (72%), asbestos (70%), radon gas and radiation (64%),” said Health Survey..“Close to half also identify cannabis smoke (51%), putting batteries in the garbage (49%) or flushing pharmaceuticals and medications (46%) as health risks,” wrote analysts. “Fewer are concerned about wood smoke (39%) or single use plastics (34%).”.According to Blacklock's Reporter, the findings were based on questionnaires with 2,187 people nationwide. The health department paid pollsters with Kantar $99,996 for the research..Cabinet beginning in 2024 will enforce Single Use Plastic Prohibition Regulations that restrict the use of six common items: checkout grocery bags, plastic straws, six-pack rings, stir sticks, plastic cutlery and disposable polystyrene food containers..“The proposed regulations are expected to result in $205 million in costs in the first full year of policy stringency, 2024,” said a January 1 Regulatory Impact Analysis Statement, adding: “Some consumers may feel the burden of these costs more than others.”.Consumers each year use about 30 billion single use plastic items, according to the Department of Environment. The figure includes 15.6 billion checkout bags..Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland in a July 26, 2021 videoconference in Winnipeg said Canadians expected cabinet to use penalties if necessary to enforce the plastics ban. “We are working to have zero plastic waste by 2030,” said Freeland..“I think we as a government, as a country, as Canadians need to understand that when we’re talking about such key issues like the health of our communities, the health of our environment, at the end of the day voluntary compliance by companies is not going to be enough,” said Freeland..“There are a lot of great companies out there but I think it’s really important, you know, just the way when we’re driving a car, you don’t just have voluntary compliance with red lights and stop signs and speeding,” said Freeland. “We have clear rules and then everyone knows they have to follow them and that’s for the safety of our communities.”.“I think we definitely have to do the same thing when it comes to the environment,” said Freeland. “That’s something our government has really been focused on and will continue to be.”
