As part of Waste Reduction Week, Plastics Thursday highlights how the circular economy can reduce the use and waste of plastics.
The Circular Innovation Council says a circular economy for plastics uses less plastic material and designs products and packaging for longer life through reuse, effective recycling or composting and reduces plastic lost to disposal and the environment.
The council’s program Manager, Education and Engagement, Caitlin Perry says making simple changes in your everyday life can reduce your plastic footprint.
Some popular suggestions are bringing reusable water and drink containers with you wherever you go and using reusable shopping bags or boxes on shopping trips.
In addition, Perry suggests purchasing in bulk.
“If you need things like grains and flours and spices and stuff you can go to your local bulk store and purchase it in reusable containers as well so you don’t have to use the plastic it comes in.”
The Circular Innovation Council is also running a pilot program in Ottawa to reduce single use plastics for take out food.
“So it’s in partnership with some of the retailers like Metro and Farm Boy and Sobey’s. And select locations across Ottawa are offering reusable containers for the hot take away food and salads. So it’s helping eliminate single use plastic containers.”
Perry says the containers do not increase the cost of food.
The council says improving product design, use, and end of life reduces the use and waste of plastics.
And by next year all municipalities in Ontario will have transitioned recycling responsibility to extended producer responsibility meaning the businesses that sell packaging and paper products to consumers will be financially and operationally responsible for collecting, processing and recycling those materials.