Clarington Council is banning all single-use plastics from Town Hall as of November 30.
Staff were also given the green light at Monday night’s council meeting to move ahead with a proposed program that would see the elimination of single-use plastics in all municipal buildings and recreation facilities.
As part of the new program, staff will complete an audit of all municipally-operated buildings, including recreation facilities, to identify where single-use plastics can be eliminated or replaced by environmentally responsible alternatives. They will also review current recycling practices to find areas where the level of diversion can be increased.
Environment Impact
“The Municipality is committed to finding better ways to manage and reduce waste. This initiative is just another step to help minimize our environmental impact,” said Clarington Mayor Adrian Foster. “Simply put, we need to ensure the decisions we make today don’t have a negative impact on future generations. We all need to do our part,” added Mayor Foster.
In addition to the audit, the municipality will develop a public education and outreach campaign to raise awareness and inform staff, community partners and residents who visit our buildings about our green initiatives and how they can help. Staff will report back to council on the progress and achievements of the program once it has been in place for six months.
Waste Reduction
The program closely aligns with one of council’s key goals outlined in its Strategic Plan, which speaks to environmental sustainability, specifically, to “advance waste reduction initiatives by promoting the fours Rs: refuse, reduce, reuse and recycle.
This is not the first time the Municipality has taken steps to reduce its impact on the environment. In 2012, Clarington Council passed a resolution to eliminate the sale of bottled water at all municipal facilities. The same resolution banned the use of non-recyclable utensils at Council and Municipal staff working lunches. It also asked staff to ensure the use of recyclable and biodegradable products at concession stands. Other environmentally-conscious measures the municipality has taken include installing water fountain/bottle fill stations and providing recycling and food waste containers at the Municipal Administrative Centre and recreation facilities.