Thursday, March 28, 2024
ADVT 
National

PPE, pandemic-related trash on shorelines: report

Darpan News Desk The Canadian Press, 16 Jun, 2021 11:18 AM
  • PPE, pandemic-related trash on shorelines: report

Organizers of a national conservation program aimed at removing trash from the country's many shorelines say the COVID-19 pandemic has even changed how we litter.

The Great Canadian Shoreline Cleanup 2020 annual report says litter from single-use food and drink packaging nearly doubled last year as restaurant takeout soared during lockdowns and physical distancing kept people outside and apart.

Julia Wakeling, spokeswoman for the shoreline cleanup, says in a statement that single-use containers jumped from 15.3 per cent of all litter collected in 2019 to nearly 27 per cent last year.

She says masks and other personal protective equipment were also plucked off beaches in 2020, the first time such items had been recorded in the cleanup's 27-year history.

There was no category for masks or disposable gloves on the cards used last year by volunteers tracking the type and amount of trash collected, but Wakeling says a line has been added this year and she expects the tally will be "very interesting."

Cigarette butts still topped the list of the 10 most commonly collected items as the annual report shows 15,000 volunteers removed more than 41,000 kilograms of litter from Canadian shorelines in 2020.

The pandemic forced suspension of planned cleanups for four months last year and resulted in a 70 per cent drop in participation, but organizers say they expect to see a rebound.

"Armed with COVID-safe cleanup guidelines, Shoreline Cleanup hopes to make up for lost numbers in 2021 and encourages all Canadians to organize or participate in a physically distanced cleanup," says the statement from the conservation partnership between Vancouver-based Ocean Wise and the World Wildlife Fund Canada.

Megan Leslie, WWF-Canada's president and CEO, is grateful for the efforts of cleanup volunteers and hopes more Canadians will register at ShorelineCleanup.ca to help fish, birds, turtles and other wildlife that often mistake garbage for food or become entangled in it.

“Every piece of garbage we remove from our freshwater and marine shorelines is one less piece that can harm wildlife," Leslie says in the release.

MORE National ARTICLES

Vancouver police fears warm weather, easing restrictions could cause spike in jewelry scams

Vancouver police fears  warm weather, easing restrictions could cause spike in jewelry scams
Vancouver Police are reminding east-side residents to be wary of jewelry scammers, after a Collingwood man was bilked out of thousands of dollars yesterday.    

Vancouver police fears warm weather, easing restrictions could cause spike in jewelry scams

MPs not seeking re-election say their farewells

MPs not seeking re-election say their farewells
Mumilaaq Qaqqaq, the New Democrat MP for Nunavut, used the opportunity to blast Canada as a country built on the oppression of Indigenous People and whose history is "stained with blood."

MPs not seeking re-election say their farewells

Trudeau allowed to check out of quarantine hotel

Trudeau allowed to check out of quarantine hotel
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is being allowed to check out from his quarantine hotel roughly 12 hours after checking in. Trudeau's office says he received his negative COVID-19 test Wednesday morning and can now leave the three-star Ottawa lodging.

Trudeau allowed to check out of quarantine hotel

Green leader survives planned ouster

Green leader survives planned ouster
Green Leader Annamie Paul has survived another day of party strife after a move to push her out shifted course, leaving her with a tenuous grip on power ahead of a likely federal election this year.

Green leader survives planned ouster

RCMP cleared of wrongdoing in fatal crash

RCMP cleared of wrongdoing in fatal crash
The Independent Investigations Office, which examines all cases of death or serious harm involving police, says its review has determined two officers from the Terrace RCMP detachment did not commit any offences related to the May 23 crash.

RCMP cleared of wrongdoing in fatal crash

Contaminants in generic drugs may cause long-term harm to DNA: B.C. researcher at UBC

Contaminants in generic drugs may cause long-term harm to DNA: B.C. researcher at UBC
Contaminants in some generic medications used to treat heart disease, diabetes and other common conditions could damage DNA, affect basic cell functions and increase the risk of cancer, suggests a study from the University of British Columbia.

Contaminants in generic drugs may cause long-term harm to DNA: B.C. researcher at UBC

PrevNext