TORONTO: Jeff Yurek, Minister of the Environment, Conservation and Parks and Andrea Khanjin, Parliamentary Assistant to the Minister of the Environment, Conservation and Parks released the following statement:
“Tuesday is Ontario’s second annual Day of Action on Litter, a day to encourage individuals, municipalities and businesses across the province to work together to raise awareness about the impacts of litter and how we can reduce waste.
“Every year, the average Ontarian generates one tonne of waste – much of this making its way to our waterways and green spaces, harming wildlife and impacting human health. The waste that does end up in our landfills increases greenhouse gas emissions. That’s why it’s so important we all do our part to reduce waste and help keep our province clean, healthy and beautiful.
“In light of the Stay-at-Home order and to stop the spread of COVID-19, this year’s Day of Action on Litter is focusing on raising awareness of the impacts of waste in the environment, and actions to prevent, reduce and divert waste, right at home. With this in mind, out of an abundance of caution we are not promoting cleanups today.
“There are actions you can take to reduce waste and keep recyclables, food and organics out of our landfills while staying at home and physically distancing, including:
• Using reusable storage containers instead of single-use food wraps
• Donating gently used clothes, toys and household items rather than throwing them away
• Planning meals in advance and only buying what you need
• Knowing what items are accepted in your local green bin and blue box
• For anything that does belong in the trash, such as disposable masks, make sure garbage
bags are properly tied or sealed so litter is contained
“Our Made-in-Ontario Environment Plan is to keep our neighbourhoods, parks and waterways clean and free of litter and waste. We’re expanding green bin or similar collection systems, developing a proposal to ban food waste from landfills, and supporting innovation in compostable packaging. The Day of Action is a reminder of the importance of our greenspaces and its role in maintaining a ..healthier Ontario for our communities and loved ones now and for future generations.”