Can the Sault survive without plastic bags?
Councillors Corey Gardi and Donna Hilsinger are hoping to make this a reality for the city.
Gardi, seconded by Hilsinger, is bringing forward a motion to the first council meeting of 2020 on Monday, asking the city to consider eliminating plastic bags.
This report asks City Staff to “consider and report back on a process by which Council can, within its legal authority, discourage and/or eliminate the use of plastic bags within the community. This includes a plan for the municipality to reduce and eliminate its own use of plastic bags and single-use plastics. City staff are also being asked to consult with community stakeholders, specifically including the commercial operations throughout the community that are heavily dependent on the use of plastic bags to receive their comment, feedback and input.”
The full resolution reads as follows:
“Whereas plastic bags don’t biodegrade, they photodegrade – breaking down into smaller and smaller toxic bits; and
Whereas these toxic bits of plastic particles end up contaminating soil, and enter thefood web when animals accidentally ingest them; and
Whereas plastics including plastic bags are causing catastrophic effects on the world’s oceans, including contributing to hundreds of thousands of marine animal deaths per year; and
Whereas according to the Rochester Institute of Technology more than 22 million pounds of plastic pollution ends up in the Great Lakes every year; and
Whereas 80% of litter in the Great Lakes region is plastic, pollution that threatens the ecosystem of the lakes and the source of drinking water depended upon by 40million people including the residents of Sault Ste. Marie; and
Whereas the Canadian Government plans to ban harmful single-use plastics including plastic shopping bags as early as 2021 in an effort to reduce the 3 million tons of plastic waste tossed out by Canadians every year; and
Whereas the City of Sault Ste. Marie should do what it can to discourage or eliminate the use of plastic bags; and
Now Therefore Be It Resolved that City staff is directed to consider and report back on a process by which Council can, within its legal authority, discourage and/or eliminate the use of plastic bags within the community including a plan for the municipality to reduce and eliminate its own use of plastic bags and single use plastics;
Be It Further Resolved that City staff consult with community stakeholders, specifically including the commercial operations throughout our community, that are heavily dependent on the use of plastic bags to receive their comment, feedback and input.”
People do realize that plastic has the lowest carbon foot print. Cloth bags are the highest and paper is in second place. So do we want to lower our carbon foot print or raise it.
Please don’t bring logic into a discussion on ‘climate change’. Then there is the myth that plastic bags, which are thinner than paper, are filling out landfills. And the old they’re never rested. Funny how I have and see others reusing plastic bags all the time.
Yes
Plastic bags are made from recycled material, so what you gonna make out of the recycled crap instead? You’ll never be rid of plastic
Yes we are way behind so many others in canada. We live in the middle of the great lakes people it is a magical spot let’s go above and beyond ……
I think this is a fantastic idea!!
Yes! Already replaced produce bags and plastic bags for the most part. Also making purchasing decisions based on reduced plastic packaging wherever possible.
This is a no-brainer people!!! Plastic needs to go the way of the dinosaur!!
Awe no more milk in bags? lol
Bring back paper bags like back in the seventies
Yes
Yes
When I was young it was paper bags used.
100% yes
Yes
Yes get rid of them.
ABSOLUTELY
Yes
absolutely! We should also upgrade our recyclables. This city is the first city I have been to that does not recycle all plastics and many other items that can be recycled. It’s a shame so much goes to the landfill that does not have to!
Dawn Langille totally agree with this. I left the Soo just after we introduced recycling to the community. I return almost 20 yrs later and we still only recycle the same items as 20yrz ago. It’s disheartening how in the box and behind our city decision makers are. There are much smaller communities with less municipal revenue in Ontario that manage to recyle all plastics, paper and composte. Why aren’t we?!
Jen Blair Great question. I moved here 8 years ago from a town of 7500 who had a massive recycling program. They recycled everything, plus had curbside compost bins (kitchen scraps) collected every couple of weeks and composted and sold every spring for 50 a truck load. It is really disheartening!
Yup. It’s a no brainer. Paper or other renewable materials are increasingly available at low cost.
Yes 100%. I went to Maui and they didn’t have any plastic bags and they totally rocked it. Didn’t see any issues at all and I still don’t for anywhere else.
Pino’s has paper bags at no cost!!!!
Grocery stores should have paper bags as an option not plastic. Value Village has paper bags for a 10 cent charge. Good for them. Would gladly pay 10 cents when I forget to bring a bag to grocery store.
Yes!
Yes
Yes plastic bags should go
Yessssss all single use plastics!
Ban plastic bags, when I was a kid it was paper bags and we survived
Paper bags and paper straws are the way to go. I use cloth bags for groceries…the ones with the flat bottoms…beats plastic.
YES!!!
YES. Get with the times. Let’s not let the Great Lakes get more polluted or God forbid like the oceans.
💯 YES
many other things should be eliminated in this city too much free money given ouy to the wrong people !!!!!
Sharon Michaud what does that have to do with plastic bags?
Hope MacKenzie and what does she mean by free money given out to the wrong people? Lol
yes, we even use mesh bags to buy our produce instead of the plastic bags in the store
No, don’t be stupid
Jay Landry ?
🤦♀️
Jay Landry what?
Yes
💯
100%!
We live in the Sault, but spend the winter in Mexico. They have banned all plastic bags here, at least in this town. The only ones available are biodegradable. It is great!
Yes
Yes. I loved paper bags. My grandfather refused to use plastic and we had to request paper. We never had an issue with them. For anyone upset about this, use reusable or purchase biodegradable bags. There are other options.
Yes I think plastic bags should be long gone
No, stop balloons also then. See so many being released. make all biodegradable .
Ursula Nielsen I think balloons should be biodegradable as well. I don’t like when people set off balloons or the lanterns with fire.
No. I will be littering more if i cant have a plastic bag in my vehicle for trash. Out the window itll go.
How entitled and lazy do you have to be to just throw garbage on the group with absolute zero regard. Does your mother still clean up after you? You’re the problem
Omg YES 💯💯💯💯💯
Yes
Yes.
Polar pop cups from circle k would be a really good place to start !!!
Hans Kaylo all take out containers could be replaced with biodegradable.
Jen Blair I’m aware. these are just everywhere I look and something I was thinking about the other day !
Yes , all plastic if could be.
Maybe hemp mesh bags ?
Yes definitely or at least have paper available as well as reusable
Yes
YES!
💯
The less we consume, the less there is to throw away. Removal of single use plastic bags is a minor inconvenience that we can overcome with simple alternatives.
2020 needs to be the year of our oceans. I also use Ekoru.org as a search engine alternative to Google because they help clean oceans, Lets make 2020 a plastic trash free year.
👍
Yes
Yes
I think we should. People will have to get used to bringing reusable bags, myself included. It’s coming from upper levels of government soon anyway.
but what will people use for garbage bags?
You know, the 13 gallon kitchen bags, and the 33 gallon and larger for the big cans like at the offices an hospitals and elsewhere
Jimmy Adams There are biodegradable bags. They aren’t perfect, but a better option than plastic.
Sure , but I’m not picking up my dog shit with my bare hands and I don’t think anyone else will be ether so they better think about that
Emily-e McKiernan-Murray I use biodegradable bags for this purpose you can get them at any pet store .
Emily-e McKiernan-Murray dollar stores in town have biodegradable pet poop bags.
Omg we have only paper bags at our grocery store in white river now and it was horrid bags ripped as soon as I picked them up
Barbie Michelle Isabelle Siegwart double bag them
Or dont emoverload them. Common sense isn’t so common now a days
Brad Roach can’t double bag the paper bags and they weren’t overloaded they tear so easily
Reusable?
Patrick McGuire Completely forgot today they started Thea opera bags so I didn’t bring the reusable ones but next time I sure will
Yes switch to paper bags like years ago,and of course reusable ones.
Why do they call these single use bags. I see people use them for just about everything after they take their groceries out of them, and lunch bags seems to be popular don’t see many lunch pails anymore.
No.
Dianne Salminen ??
Kathleen Running. No, plastic bags should not be eliminated.
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