Let’s tell Fredericton City Council it’s time to move beyond plastic bags.
Waste is an ever-growing issue that far too long has been shrugged off. From New Brunswick’s lack of a household composting program, recyclables that are diverted but not actually being recycled, to the acceptance of excessive packaging or use of single-use plastics such as cutlery, straws or plastic bags, we know we can do better — and the time is now.
Last year university students launched a petition for a province-wide ban on plastic bags following polling that showed more than 70 per cent of respondents in Fredericton, Moncton and Saint John are in favour of the move. New Brunswick’s Minister of the Environment, Jeff Carr, recently told CBC he’s watching how other jurisdictions are tackling the issue and that he wants to see more conversation on the topic in N.B. before moving forward. The conversation has already started in Moncton, so, Frederictonians, let’s get talking about it!
Sign our petition to Fredericton City Council today and join us in calling for a ban on single-use plastic bags in Fredericton. An excerpt of the petition is below, followed by the full text and the form where you can add your name electronically.
Want to help us collect signatures? Download your own print version and ask your friends, family and colleagues to sign, or pick one up at our office, Conserver House (180 St. John Street, Fredericton) or at participating businesses across town.
Whereas nearly 90 per cent of plastic in Canada is not recycled but rather pollutes our lakes, parks, oceans, landfills, or is incinerated;
Whereas once plastics are in the environment they, on average, take more than 400 years to degrade while leaching toxic chemicals into the natural environment, harming or killing wildlife, and contaminating ecosystems;
Whereas plastic shopping bags require natural gas to be produced and therefore have a significant carbon footprint and upon disposal leach methane (a greenhouse gas) in the presence of sunlight;
Whereas 2.86 billion plastic shopping bags are used in Canada per year;
Whereas Montreal and Victoria have banned single-use plastic shopping bags, P.E.I. has made plans to enact a ban, and the Moncton and Halifax city councils are considering a ban;
Whereas there is public opposition towards the use of single-use plastic bags in Fredericton, with three-quarters (74 per cent) of Fredericton residents supporting a ban on plastic shopping bags (Source: Corporate Research Associates poll conducted spring 2018).
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Did you know?
Learn more about plastic pollution in New Brunswick:
- Pepsi can imprint on Bay of Fundy lobster tells story of pollution problem in NB coastal waters
- Most plastic waste in Canada leads back to these 5 companies
- Poll shows huge appetite for provincewide plastic bag ban: Corbett
- Retail council calls for province-wide plastic bag ban
- New Brunswick youth pushing for plastic bag ban
- #BeatPlasticPollution this World Environment Day