In the current context of the global environmental landscape, plastic pollution is emerging as one of the most colossal challenges of our time. As co-founders of the 1000 Tonnes Mission, we express our deep dismay at the Federal Court’s recent invalidation of the decree classifying plastic items as toxic under the Environmental Protection Act. This decision, well beyond its legal dimension, seriously compromises our efforts to inspire positive actions and clean our waterways of the plastic waste that pollutes them.
For five years, through the 360 tonnes of waste that we have collected, hundreds of thousands of pieces of plastic have been removed from Quebec’s waterways, in addition to inspiring people, businesses and organizations to work together to make a difference. Today, we honestly feel like we are going backwards.
The global scientific consensus is unequivocal: plastic pollution constitutes a huge environmental problem. Every year, thousands of peer-reviewed scientific studies overwhelmingly demonstrate the toxicity of single-use plastics, which is what the Coalition for Responsible Plastic Use advocates for. The photodegradation of plastic (including objects that were banned from our country in 2021) generates microplastic particles which spread in our ecosystems, presenting invisible but real dangers for marine fauna, going so far as to cause diseases and cancers. And the dead.
The tragic entanglements of marine animals in various plastic debris, including previously banned bags, are unfortunately not isolated incidents. Turtles, birds and marine mammals suffer needlessly due to our overabundance of plastic. The Federal Court’s decision, in downplaying the threat posed by these materials, appears to ignore the harrowing reality of these incidents.
The ingestion of plastic by marine wildlife is a worrying reality; animals often mistake plastic fragments for food. This contributes to the bioaccumulation of toxic substances in the food chain, threatening human health through the consumption of contaminated marine products.
An alarming decline
Despite global commitments to combat plastic pollution, a 2020 study in the journal Science revealed that plastic production continues to increase. The Federal Court’s decision weakens the gains anticipated by the federal ban on six single-use plastic items, undermining the response needed to stem the proliferation of these harmful plastics.
Science has clearly established the threat single-use plastics pose to our ecosystems. Ignoring these facts compromises our environmental future. On the ground, our mission is mobilizing to raise awareness, organize cleanups and promote a change in mentality necessary to preserve our environment. The imminent departure of our head of mission for Chile highlights the urgency and crucial importance of international cooperation in the face of the global plastic pollution crisis.
The Federal Court’s decision is an alarming setback in our fight against plastic pollution. The argument that the classification is considered too broad minimizes the reality of plastic waste which accumulates in our waterways and even in deserts. This invalidation highlights the inability of our judicial system to respond adequately to the environmental emergency and seems to result from the influence of the lobby of plastic producers, who found a legal loophole to continue their polluting activities without hindrance.
This decision has direct repercussions on the federal ban on six single-use plastic items, undermining the progress announced by the federal Minister of the Environment in June 2022. Our imminent departure for an international mission is marred by the shame of origin of a country that is backtracking on obvious environmental measures. The Court’s decision appears to be dictated by the interests of a plastic lobby rather than by science.
This regrettable decision underscores the urgency for judicial reform to adapt our system to critical environmental challenges and for careful examination of the relationship between industrial interests and policy decision-making. We call on businesses to adopt environmentally friendly practices without waiting for binding legislation, emphasizing effective citizen power to encourage innovative businesses and boycott those promoting environmental laxity.
No need for a law to act
We call on businesses to act with environmental common sense, emphasizing that we do not need a law to adopt practices that respect our planet. We urge businesses to step up their efforts to reduce their plastic production and adopt sustainable options, showing that a proactive approach can make a difference, even without binding legislation.
There is also very effective citizen power to encourage companies that innovate to make their contribution to the environment and to avoid those that support narcissistic laxity with the sole aim of continuing to make money.
The solution to this complex crisis requires an integrated approach, combining in-depth scientific research and concrete actions on the ground. It is imperative to demonstrate that change is possible when scientific rigor and action on the ground converge towards a common vision of environmental preservation.
It is our collective duty to take action, step up our efforts and reaffirm environmental protection as our top priority, even when legal rulings thwarting environmental common sense threaten to set us back. The fight against plastic pollution is a commitment that we make with determination, not only for the future of our country, but also for the preservation of our entire planet.