Clearview Township council has voted to institute a voluntary ban on single-use plastics effective October 1, 2019. A motion introduced by councillor Thom Paterson called for a voluntary ban on plastic shopping bags, cutlery, straws and stir sticks as a first step toward an eventual full ban. The original motion called for the total ban to take effect by July 1, 2020 but was amended to recommend a July, 2021 start date.
Cecily Ross of CLEAN, the Clearview Eco Action Network, spoke in support of the motion. CLEAN has been working at the grassroots level to reduce dependence on single-use plastics through initiatives such as “Bring your Own Mug Days” at the Creemore Farmers’ Market. The group will be lobbying local businesses to drum up support. While initial efforts will focus on Creemore, they expect compliance with the voluntary ban will spread as awareness grows.
Council also heard from eleven year old Hazel Dempsey, a passionate advocate for the environment. Dempsey shared that a group of township youth recently spent two hours cleaning by the river and collected nine bags of trash – mostly plastic. She reminded council that plastic can take five hundred years to break down and it is essential that we all do our part to protect the environment.
In addition to the October 1, 2019 voluntary ban on plastic bags, cutlery, straws and stir sticks, Council voted to phase out the sale and use of bottled water and single-use plastic cups at all municipally owned facilities and events by December 2019. This process has already started with the township moving to replace bottled water with water re-filling stations at municipal facilities.
The decision to extend the date for moving to a full ban was made to coincide with the anticipated timing of a federal government ban on single-use plastics. Mayor Doug Measures suggested it does not make sense for Clearview to get out in front of the federal government on this issue, particularly when the motion did not address enforcement and associated costs.
Councillor Ed Christie pointed out that some retailers may already have a three to five year supply of bags on hand, and proposed that plastic bags be removed from the ban to permit businesses to use existing inventory. That amendment was defeated with the majority feeling that plastic bags are a key part of any plan to reduce dependence on single-use plastics. Township staff has been directed to develop a plan for eventual implementation of a full ban. The issue of existing plastic bag inventory may be addressed as part of that plan.
Exceptions to the ban may be permitted upon request to accommodate special health needs and for food safety.
Clearview joins other Ontario municipalities including Bayfield, Bluewater, Collingwood and the Town of The Blue Mountains in implementing local measures aimed at single-use plastics. Details will be communicated to residents in upcoming tax bill mailings, and on the Clearview Township website beginning no later than October 1, 2019.