On November 16, a federal court ruled the Government of Canada acted outside its authority when it listed plastic as ‘toxic’ under the Canadian Environmental Protection Act (CEPA). This listing was a crucial first step in Canada’s fight against plastic pollution. It allowed the federal government to better manage the production, use and disposal of plastic, including the ban on harmful single-use plastics. 
 

This is a setback for federal action on plastics, but this decision won’t keep us, or Canada from a future that is free from plastic pollution.
 
Big Plastic is most concerned about its bottom line. Members of the plastics and petrochemical industry, like Dow, Imperial Oil, and NOVA Chemicals depend on their ability to increase plastic pollution, without restriction. They are pretending the decision to address plastic pollution through federal law is not backed by science. Big Plastic insists plastics are not toxic to our health or the environment. This is ridiculous. 
 

Industry will continue to pretend that plastic isn’t creating an environmental crisis but we can’t and we won’t. The science is clear; plastic is harmful to the environment and our health.