Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has announced that Canada will also be leading the way by banning single-use plastics as early as 2021, according to BBC News. Canada is following in the footsteps of the European Union, but has not announced which types of single-use plastics it will be targeting. The list will most likely include plastic bags, straws, cutlery, plates, etc.
It is estimated that over 8 million tonnes of plastic enter into the ocean each year, which is a staggering figure. While certain states in the US are stepping up to the plate, it’s going to take concerted national and worldwide efforts to bring about significant and impactful changes.
As the oceans fill up with plastic, and fish ingest the plastic, and we continue to ingest plastic… there is still no end to the scourge in sight, simply bandages at this point. Just consider this: You eat thousands of bits of plastic every year.
Hopefully, as nations such as Canada wake up and make sweeping environmental policy changes, we can then get to work on significant worldwide cleanup efforts, before it’s too late.
Alas, it might already be too late for that matter. Time will tell.
Photo by Brian Yurasits