Plastic waste

Kieran Cox enters the water near Victoria’s Inner Harbour to collect fish and invertebrates for a study on how microplastics move through marine food webs. (Courtesy of Hailey Davies)

Study dives into microplastic movement in Vancouver Island marine food webs

Wide variety of species ingest microplastics, but biomagnification not found

 

As plastic continues to pollute the ocean, Oceana Canada is calling on the government action (credit Oceana Canada/Elemental).

Plastic predicament: Federal group urges action on packaging legislation in Canada

Oceana Canada is calling on the government to reduce the amount of harmful single-use plastics

 

Burnaby vet technician Jocelyn Marsh shows off part of her pill bottle return program. (Jane Skrypnek/Black Press Media)

B.C. veterinarian has plan to eliminate millions of pieces of plastic from Canadian clinics

Very simple changes can have a large impact if adopted broadly, Jocelyn Marsh says

 

The move to ban single-use plastics will prevent 33 billion units of forks, bags, six-pack rings and other plastics from landfills. (Photo by THE CANADIAN PRESS)

Single-use plastic ban a ‘monumental’ step in protecting Canada’s oceans: advocate

Canada is planning phased-in ban on the manufacture, import, sale and export of plastics

The move to ban single-use plastics will prevent 33 billion units of forks, bags, six-pack rings and other plastics from landfills. (Photo by THE CANADIAN PRESS)
A Victoria bylaw that’s in the works will aim to protect the city’s natural environment from the 75,000 single-use items being thrown away every day in the capital. (Black Press Media file photo)

Victoria’s single-use plastics bylaw decision will likely fall to next council

Victoria bylaw expected to come to council in the fall

A Victoria bylaw that’s in the works will aim to protect the city’s natural environment from the 75,000 single-use items being thrown away every day in the capital. (Black Press Media file photo)
Bioform’s Rami Younes (right) and Jordan MacKenzie (left) showing a sheet of the bioplastic. (Credit: Kai Jacobson/UBC Applied Science)

UBC scientists aim to put plastic in the past with 2 new inventions

Biodegradable product could replace plastic, unique coating could extend its life

Bioform’s Rami Younes (right) and Jordan MacKenzie (left) showing a sheet of the bioplastic. (Credit: Kai Jacobson/UBC Applied Science)
Trash collected during a 2019 cleanup and brand audit at Kitsilano Beach on Coast Salish Territory, Vancouver, B.C. being sorted by volunteers. The cleanup was hosted by Surfrider Vancouver. (Photo courtesy of Greenpeace Canada)

B.C. watches as California subpoenas plastic industry over waste, alleged deception

UVic law expert says recycling used by plastic producers to deceive public

Trash collected during a 2019 cleanup and brand audit at Kitsilano Beach on Coast Salish Territory, Vancouver, B.C. being sorted by volunteers. The cleanup was hosted by Surfrider Vancouver. (Photo courtesy of Greenpeace Canada)
Victoria will create a bylaw aiming to reduce the amount of single-use plastics being used in the city. (Photo by THE CANADIAN PRESS)

Cup fee eyed as coming Victoria bylaw will look to reduce single-use plastics

Bylaw expected to make businesses only give out plastic items upon request, use reusable dishware

Victoria will create a bylaw aiming to reduce the amount of single-use plastics being used in the city. (Photo by THE CANADIAN PRESS)
Visitors and locals can help reduce their own plastic consumption by carrying re-usable cutlery sets like these ones available at the Tourism Tofino Cox Bay Visitor Centre. (Nora O’Malley photo)

Tofino 1st in B.C. to ban single-use plastic cutlery

The amended bylaw includes banning plastic spoons, forks, knives, chopsticks and stir sticks

Visitors and locals can help reduce their own plastic consumption by carrying re-usable cutlery sets like these ones available at the Tourism Tofino Cox Bay Visitor Centre. (Nora O’Malley photo)
Oceans director Hen van Dalen talks about the proof of their technology upon the return of Ocean Cleanup’s vessels to Ogden Point Wednesday, Oct. 20. (Kiernan Green/News Staff)

Ocean Cleanup makes first dent in eradicating Great Pacific Garbage Patch

Victoria in the running as company looks for a base of operations to meet their 2040 goal

Oceans director Hen van Dalen talks about the proof of their technology upon the return of Ocean Cleanup’s vessels to Ogden Point Wednesday, Oct. 20. (Kiernan Green/News Staff)
Oceans Cleanup CEO and founder Bayon Slat speaks to the crowd in front of their vessel’s crew members on Wednesday, Oct. 20. (Kiernan Green/News Staff)

Ocean Cleanup returns to B.C. with its first dent out of the Great Pacific Garbage Patch

Victoria in the running as company looks for a base of operations to meet its 2040 goal

Oceans Cleanup CEO and founder Bayon Slat speaks to the crowd in front of their vessel’s crew members on Wednesday, Oct. 20. (Kiernan Green/News Staff)
Joost Dubois, Ocean Cleanup’s head of communications, at Ogden Point on Sept. 8. (Jake Romphf/News Staff)

Ocean Cleanup stops in Victoria to restock for next plastics hunt

Organization testing its new collection system at the Great Pacific Garbage Patch

Joost Dubois, Ocean Cleanup’s head of communications, at Ogden Point on Sept. 8. (Jake Romphf/News Staff)
The Ocean Cleanup project’s latest iteration of plastic-collecting technology, the System 002, will leave Victoria and heads to the Great Pacific Garbage Patch. (Ocean Cleanup/Twitter)

Ocean plastic-trapping ‘artificial coastline’ to depart from Victoria

The Ocean Cleanup’s project is heading to the Great Pacific Garbage Patch

The Ocean Cleanup project’s latest iteration of plastic-collecting technology, the System 002, will leave Victoria and heads to the Great Pacific Garbage Patch. (Ocean Cleanup/Twitter)
Polystyrene has been outlawed as a take-out option for restaurants in Tofino and Ucluelet. (Black Press Media file photo)

Styrofoam done as a takeout option on Island’s Pacific Rim

Tofino and Ucluelet ban polystyrene take-out containers

Polystyrene has been outlawed as a take-out option for restaurants in Tofino and Ucluelet. (Black Press Media file photo)
Tanya Bub’s mermaid (pictured at Gage Gallery last month) is stuffed with a year’s worth of plastic from one family’s packaging. It has been on display at Oak Bay Marina in February. (Tanya Bub Photo)

Greater Victoria artist crafts plastic mermaid from a year’s worth of soft packaging

Wire mermaid evolved into plastic beauty

Tanya Bub’s mermaid (pictured at Gage Gallery last month) is stuffed with a year’s worth of plastic from one family’s packaging. It has been on display at Oak Bay Marina in February. (Tanya Bub Photo)
Campfire-grilled steak on a peach, spinach salad. Meal prep kits even work in the backcountry, as proven by this industrious camper. (Marg Leehane photo)

B.C.-based meal kit company headed for zero-waste

Meal kits have exploded during the pandemic, with lots of packaging

Campfire-grilled steak on a peach, spinach salad. Meal prep kits even work in the backcountry, as proven by this industrious camper. (Marg Leehane photo)
Between 4,680 and 6,240 metric tonnes of face masks will pollute the world’s oceans this year, according to a new report from Oceans Asia. (Gary Stokes/OceansAsia)

1.56 billion face masks will pollute oceans this year, says Victoria researcher

Each mask takes up to 450 years to break down, according to the OceansAsia report

Between 4,680 and 6,240 metric tonnes of face masks will pollute the world’s oceans this year, according to a new report from Oceans Asia. (Gary Stokes/OceansAsia)
Environment and Climate Change Minister Jonathan Wilkinson speaks during a news conference announcing the ban of specific plastic products Wednesday, Oct. 7, 2020 in Gatineau, Que. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Adrian Wyld

Plastics industry says its products are not ‘toxic’, urges govt to rethink label

Environment Minister Jonathan Wilkinson announced six single-use plastic items that will be banned

Environment and Climate Change Minister Jonathan Wilkinson speaks during a news conference announcing the ban of specific plastic products Wednesday, Oct. 7, 2020 in Gatineau, Que. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Adrian Wyld
Minister of Environment and Climate Change Jonathan Wilkinson answers a question during question period in the House of Commons on Parliament Hill in Ottawa on Tuesday, Oct. 6, 2020. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Sean Kilpatrick

Straws, stir sticks and bags among first targets of countrywide plastics ban

Canada intends to add plastics to a list of toxic items under the Canadian Environmental Protection Act

Minister of Environment and Climate Change Jonathan Wilkinson answers a question during question period in the House of Commons on Parliament Hill in Ottawa on Tuesday, Oct. 6, 2020. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Sean Kilpatrick
On Sept. 12, the province approved bylaws banning single-use plastic products in Victoria, Saanich, Tofino, Ucluelet and Richmond. (Black Press file photo)

Province greenlights plastic bag bans for five B.C. municipalities

Victoria, Saanich, Tofino, Ucluelet to receive approval for bylaws regulating plastic products

On Sept. 12, the province approved bylaws banning single-use plastic products in Victoria, Saanich, Tofino, Ucluelet and Richmond. (Black Press file photo)