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The production of plastics consumes much of Canada’s non-renewable resources.
The production
of all plastics in Canada uses just two percent of this country’s oil
and natural gas resource. Plastic resins need much less energy to
produce than most alternative materials.
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Eliminating plastic packaging through the substitution of other materials would benefit the world environmentally.
Plastic
packaging is made of very thin films and containers. The use of plastic
packaging is increasing. In fact, substituting plastics for alternative
packaging achieves a significant reduction in packaging weight, volume,
and cost for the same amount of delivered product. In a world without
plastics packaging, the volume of packaging waste would increase over
250%, its weight would increase over 400%, energy consumption would
increase over 200%, and costs would increase over 211%.
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If we eliminated food and beverage packaging, we wouldn’t be facing such a big solid waste problem.
Packaging is
an essential part of the public health, economic well-being, standard
of living, and lifestyle of modern societies. It allows Canadians
access to safe, fresh foods. Canadians enjoy one of the lowest food
spoilage rates in the world—less than three percent. Countries without
our sophisticated packaging and distribution systems have food
contamination and spoilage rates approaching 50 %—a lot more trash
requiring disposal.
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Freezing plastic water bottles releases dioxins into the water.
The claim that
plastic water bottles will release dioxins when frozen is entirely
unfounded. So is the claim that plastic food wraps and containers can
release dioxins in the microwave oven.
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Recycling plastic bags is too expensive.
The price of
not recycling plastic bags is high. Recycling can help save resources
and minimize the amount of waste going to landfills. Also recycling
helps reduce litter, as bags are contained and stored. It takes 121%
less energy to recycle a pound of plastic than it does to recycle a
pound of paper.
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Low recycling rate for plastic bags prove recycling them doesn’t work.
Recycling does
work. The problem is not everyone knows that plastic bags are 100%
recyclable and not everyone has access to plastic bag recycling in
their community. A national at-store plastic bag recycling program
would bring the recycling solution to everyone and increase rates. Such
programs are being implemented.
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There is no demand for recycled plastic.
Today there is
a growing market for recycled plastic that didn’t exist 15 years ago.
Recycled plastic grocery and shopping bags are currently being made
into new consumer products such as clean new plastic shopping bags,
outdoor decking, and railing products.
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