Big Plastic suing feds over single-use ban — again
A group of major plastic companies are suing the federal government to try to prevent a ban on some single-use plastics. Photo by Greenpeace
Several major plastic manufacturers have turned to the courts to stop the federal government from implementing a ban on several single-use plastic items.
Canada's $29-billion plastics industry is already suing the government over listing plastic as toxic under the Canadian Environmental Protection Act, Canada's main environmental law. The new lawsuit aims to prevent the government from implementing the ban and allow the continued sale of banned items.
"It's consistent with the plastics industry's deep fear and loathing around the idea that governments would actually ban some of these completely unnecessary and polluting items," said Environmental Defense executive director Tim Gray.
Single-use plastics typically can't be recycled, making them a major source of plastic pollution worldwide. The materials are also poised to become a major climate problem in coming years, with oil and gas companies banking on the materials making up the majority of their future growth as the world moves away from fossil fuels. Without more stringent regulations on disposable plastic production, the amount being used and discarded is projected to triple by 2060.
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