Peterborough City Council Endorses The Reduction Of Single Use Plastics In The City

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Peterborough City Council has endorsed recommendations on ways to reduce the use of single-use plastics items, including municipal government activities, sharing information, a public awareness campaign, and a 24-month contract position to coordinate the implementation of the single-use plastics reduction strategy.

File Photo.

Under the recommended strategy, the City would:

  • implement a single-use plastics reduction strategy at a select number of City-owned locations including City Hall and the Waste Water Treatment Plant;

  • start the creation of a City of Peterborough - Zero Waste Event Planning Guide;

  • develop and implement an enhanced public awareness campaign including updated promotional and educational signage for public spaces including parks, recreational facilities and City-owned locations; and

  • create a temporary 24-month contract position to assist with the design and implementation of the single-use plastics reduction strategy recommendations.

The total cost of the proposed contract is estimated to be $100,000, which would be funded through the Waste Management Reserve.

Single-use plastics are a significant contributor to the global plastic pollution problem. Although considered convenient for short term use, many of these items including plastic straws, utensils, stir sticks, cups, water bottles, plates, bowls, take out containers are not easily recyclable and ultimately end up in landfill, according to a City press release.

City Council adopted the following resolution on February 25, 2019: That staff report on existing waste diversion practices and the potential for an awareness-building program focused on encouraging the reduction of hard to recycle single-use plastics.

A Single-Use Plastics Reduction Working Group, chaired by Councillor Gary Baldwin, that included eight volunteers from diverse sectors of the community met six times to consider information and contribute to recommendations.

In September 2021, the City hired Exp. Services, a third-party professional Ontario based consulting firm, to undertake the review and update of the existing Peterborough Waste Management Master Plan (WMMP), which was last updated in 2012.

This initiative will be undertaken through 2022, including a review of industry proven diversion opportunities, public consultation, and culminating in an updated WMMP to optimize diversion opportunities. All recommendations made by the Single-Use Plastics Reduction Working Group will be included in the assessment for consideration for inclusion in the updated plan recommendations.

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