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Windsor environmentalist expresses doubts about single-use plastics ban

Adelle Louiselle, BlackburnNews.com

March 13, 2019

It is not that Derek Coronado does not support a single-use plastics ban in principle; he just does not believe the Ford government will adopt it.

The director of the Citizens Environmental Alliance in Windsor commented on a private members’ bill from the NDP critic for environmental sustainability and a recent discussion paper Tuesday. He said the current government has not shown itself to be progressive on environmental issues.

“We’ve seen actions already from this government that show they’re not on the progressive side of environmental values,” said Coronado. “For example, the elimination of the Cap and Trade program which when it was opened for public comment showed the overwhelming support was for Cap and Trade from the public.”

MPP Ian Arthur laid out the details of his proposed ban Tuesday. It would ban by 2020 things like single-use plastic lined coffee cups, plastic coffee cup lids, black plastic, plastic straws, plastic drink stirrers, plastic bags, plastics that break down into microplastics and expanded polystyrene foam food and drink containers.

“Our kids and grandkids deserve to have clean drinking water, clean air to breathe and unpolluted soil in which to grow food,” said Arthur. “We know diverting waste from landfills is essential to cleaning up the soil, water and air pollution we’re living with as a result of corporations producing single-use, non-biodegradable plastics.”

Coronado fears instead, the Ford government will ramp up incineration of plastics. He points to a recent discussion paper on single-use plastics which mentions incineration, something with which Ontario has had experience.

“They are long-term contracts that municipalities usually sign which means they have to feed the incineration, so they have to look for waste,” he said. “If you’re attempting to reduce waste and you bring in an incinerator, it does the opposite.”

Arthur’s bill would implement a complete ban on single-use throw-away plastics by 2025, with exemptions for medical supplies and products needed by people with disabilities.