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Plastic Oceans

Plastic Oceans . The Prevention of Plastics from Mississauga Entering Streams, Rivers, The Great Lakes and The Ocean Presention by: Ruwanthi Halwala. Introduction. Ruwanthi ( Ru ) Halwala, Hon B.Sc., University of Toronto, Mississauga IHTEC intern- Case Study Contact: rm.halwala@gmail.com

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Plastic Oceans

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  1. IHTEC | Plastic Oceans | R. M. Halwala

  2. Plastic Oceans IHTEC | Plastic Oceans | R. M. Halwala The Prevention of Plastics from Mississauga Entering Streams, Rivers, The Great Lakes and The Ocean Presentionby: Ruwanthi Halwala

  3. Introduction Ruwanthi (Ru) Halwala, Hon B.Sc., University of Toronto, Mississauga • IHTEC intern- Case Study • Contact: rm.halwala@gmail.com Julia Morton- Marr, B.Ed., Founding president International Holistic Tourism Education Centre (IHTEC) • Canadian Educational Charitable NGO • Peace and Sustainability Education • ECOSOC (United Nations Economic and Social Council) status • http://www.ihtec.org IHTEC | Plastic Oceans | R. M. Halwala

  4. Captain Charles Moore Pioneer in discovering the Eastern Pacific garbage patch, stimulating research, and developing protocols for monitoring beach/marine plastics, now used worldwide http://www.algalita.org Source: http://www.algalita.org/about-us/bios/charles.html IHTEC | Plastic Oceans | R. M. Halwala IHTEC | Plastic Oceans | R. M. Halwala

  5. Land to Ocean Issues • Polystyrene made practical in 1938 • Over 80% from land • 5 Gyres • www.5gyres.org • In water : photodegradation • Plastic soup • Nurdles • Bioaccumulation Source: http://www.californiagreensolutions.com/cgi-bin/gt/tpl.h,content=2467, onemoregeneration.org IHTEC | Plastic Oceans | R. M. Halwala IHTEC | Plastic Oceans | R. M. Halwala

  6. Plastics and its components can remain in the ocean, and are easily absorbed into organisms, and might even accumulate over the food chain IHTEC | Plastic Oceans | R. M. Halwala

  7. Throwaway economies Contributing to the litter in the ocean and the great lakes Source:http://wavepatrol.wordpress.com/2010/10/08/the-plastic-shore-waste-build-up-in-the-north-pacific-ocean-twice-the-size-of-texas/ IHTEC | Plastic Oceans | R. M. Halwala

  8. Whale dead after consuming plastic Sperm whales generally have a life expectancy of over 70 years Source: http://envireusablebags.com/2013/04/plastic-litter-kills-a-sperm-whale-in-the-mediterranean/ IHTEC | Plastic Oceans | R. M. Halwala IHTEC | Plastic Oceans | R. M. Halwala

  9. Sea birds commonly mistake plastic for food 200,000 Albatross chicks die each year Sources: http://plasticproblem.blogspot.ca/p/issue.html , http://animal.discovery.com/birds/ocean-gyre-albatross-ocean-gyre-birds-pictures.htm IHTEC | Plastic Oceans | R. M. Halwala IHTEC | Plastic Oceans | R. M. Halwala

  10. Case Study –Mississauga, Erindale • Significant plastic litter on Highway 403 ramps • Pollution, wind, rainurban runoff. • Ministry of Transportation contracts out highway cleanup • Funding : limited • Highway exits, plastic litter smaller than the size of a shoebox • Local MPP • More community groups, citizen involvement IHTEC | Plastic Oceans | R. M. Halwala

  11. Highway 403 Mississauga: Confederation Parkway IHTEC | Plastic Oceans | R. M. Halwala

  12. Street litter Plastic bits are washed to the sides and enter the drainage system IHTEC | Plastic Oceans | R. M. Halwala

  13. Mississauga/ Peel Region: Currently • Currently : LitterNot, Adopt A Highway/Park Program • The Great Shore-Line Cleanup and Pitch-In Canada, • Debris By-Law : Fine • EcoSource, Brampton Clean City Committee and Eco Caledon • The problem : still present IHTEC | Plastic Oceans | R. M. Halwala

  14. Mississauga/ Peel Region: What we don’t know • Community groups – have any adopted the Erin Mills Parkway (Exit 113) ramp on Highway 403? • Any progress with cleaning? • Corporations / Businesses • Education? • Who are our litter bugs? IHTEC | Plastic Oceans | R. M. Halwala

  15. International Recommendations • Australia: Refunds on plastics returns • 10 cents/bottle, built into the sale price • 90% of all bottles, cans, • “Keep Australia Beautiful” • “ You dropped that, Sport” IHTEC | Plastic Oceans | R. M. Halwala

  16. International Recommendations • California • Littering fine • Polystyrene (Styrofoam) prohibition • Eliminated plastic bags • Germany • Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) : fines/ incentives, Source reduction • Recycled content laws IHTEC | Plastic Oceans | R. M. Halwala

  17. International Recommendations • Australia: Refunds on plastics returns • 10 cents/bottle, built into the sale price • 90% of all bottles, cans, • “Keep Australia Beautiful” • “ You dropped that, Sport” IHTEC | Plastic Oceans | R. M. Halwala

  18. IHTEC Recommends • Media campaign for Ontario, “ Keep Canada Beautiful” • Focus on positive, practical solution • Mascot : Canadian, relatable • “Cradle to cradle” approach • Lids on household recycling bins • Increasing littering fines • Educational programs, particularly in schools and Universities • Incentives IHTEC | Plastic Oceans | R. M. Halwala

  19. IHTEC | Plastic Oceans | R. M. Halwala

  20. Decomposition rates for common marine debris Land plastics take 500-1o00 years to decompose Source: http://www.cereplast.com/marine-debris-decomposition-rates/ IHTEC | Plastic Oceans | R. M. Halwala

  21. Conclusion/ Future implications • Where do we go from here? • Changing how we think about plastics • Culture of sustainability • Reduce consumerism IHTEC | Plastic Oceans | R. M. Halwala

  22. IHTEC’S Marine Peace Parks? IHTEC | Plastic Oceans | R. M. Halwala

  23. Sources • http://www.kinnelonconserves.net/Why-Is-It-So-Bad-.html • http://kaunewsbriefs.blogspot.ca/2012_01_08_archive.html • http://www.enchantedlearning.com/subjects/whales/species/Spermwhale.shtml • http://www.californiagreensolutions.com/cgi-bin/gt/tpl.h,content=2467 • http://www.mindfully.org/Berkeley/Berkeley-Plastics-Task-Force.htm • http://www.chrisjordan.com/gallery/midway/#CF000313%2018x24 IHTEC | Plastic Oceans | R. M. Halwala

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