FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
Aug. 4, 2021
PORT DOVER – The Ontario government is encouraging cleanups to help keep our province clean, healthy and beautiful. On Waste-Free Wednesdays throughout the summer, the province is urging people to get outside and clean up litter in their local communities.
“Litter is one visible example of the ongoing degradation of our natural environment,” said Haldimand-Norfolk MPP Toby Barrett. “Picking up garbage may be seen as a small thing, but it can make a difference.”
Building on the success of the Day of Action on Litter, Waste-Free Wednesday is a weekly reminder of the importance of keeping our greenspaces and waterways clean and litter free.
“The average Ontarian generates one tonne of waste every year – much of this making its way to our waterways and greenspaces, harming wildlife and impacting human health,” said Andrea Khanjin, Parliamentary Assistant to the Minister of the Environment, Conservation and Parks and MPP for Barrie-Innisfil.
There are actions we can all take to reduce waste and keep recyclables, food and organics out of our landfills, including:
- Using reusable containers instead of single-use food wraps.
- Donating gently used clothes, toys and household items instead of throwing them away.
- Planning meals in advance and only buying what you need.
- Making sure garbage bags are properly tied or sealed so litter is contained.
Share pictures of your Waste-Free Wednesday Cleanups and other actions using the #WasteFreeWednesday and #actONLitter hashtags.
QUICK FACTS
- Every 1,000 tonnes of waste diverted from landfill generates seven full time jobs in Ontario.
- Almost every plastic item manufactured since the 1950s is still in our environment.
- About $31 billion worth of food is wasted annually in Canada and Ontario households generate an estimated 1.4 million tonnes of food and organic waste per year.
- 95 per cent of clothing sent to landfills could have been donated or recycled.
- Making a can from recycled aluminum uses 95 per cent less energy.
ADDITIONAL RESOURCES
- Visit the act on litter webpage for more information on ways you can prevent, reduce and divert waste.
- For information and resources to help you organize a litter cleanup use our litter cleanup guide.
- Use our litter cleanup reporting form to tell us what you collected during your cleanup.
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For more information, contact MPP Toby Barrett at 519-428-0446 or toby.barrett@pc.ola.org