The Canadian government’s single-use plastics restrictions will have little to no environmental benefit and impose a large financial burden on Canadians, according to a study by the Fraser Institute. .“Canada’s contribution to the global issue of aquatic plastic pollution is virtually nonexistent, but banning plastic — almost all of which is properly disposed of in Canada — will impose high costs on Canadians and will actually result in more waste being generated,” said Fraser Institute senior fellow and study co-author Kenneth P. Green in a Thursday press release. .The Canadian government announced on Monday it is moving forward with a plan to restrict single-use plastic products. .It has established new regulations to prohibit single-use plastics such as grocery bags, six-pack rings, and straws. .A ban on importing and manufacturing single-use plastics, with a few exceptions, will take effect in December 2022. Selling these items will be prohibited as of December 2023 to provide businesses with time to transition and to deplete existing stocks. .The Canadian government’s analysis said 1% of Canada’s plastic waste is released into the environment as litter, and the rest is disposed of properly. .Canada’s contribution to global aquatic plastic pollution in 2016 was between 0.02% and 0.03% of the global total. The study said the government’s plan will reduce three thousandths of 1% of aquatic plastic pollution. .According to the study, the few environmental benefits of banning single-use plastics could be offset by increased environmental harms of plastic substitutes, such as paper products. The government’s analysis revealed it will prevent 1.6 million tonnes of plastics from entering the environment, but it will add 3.2 million tonnes of other materials. .The study said the additional waste generated by plastic substitutes will increase costs for municipalities by $300 million per year. .“Instead of banning plastics in Canada, a move that will do virtually nothing to address the global issue of plastic pollution, policymakers should instead focus on improper waste disposal in Canada as a way of reducing what little amount of Canadian plastic that does end up as litter,” said Green.
