POLICY & ADVOCACY

Policy is about merging best practice plastic management strategies with the needs of our communities and the health of our planet. The Policy component provides support with global decision making for better programs and practices.

The pillar combines a bottom up and top down approach by identifying the needs of civil society and government to target every day choices, decisions and actions: what we buy, what we eat, what we do for work, how we transport ourselves, etc. The Policy Pillar incorporates the evaluation of current policies and regulations, and civil society engagement for reduction and management strategies.

The policy tools and solutions that the OLF utilizes includes:

• Marine Debris Solutions program, a pilot project to illustrate how other communities can create change;
• Impelling government change and leadership (e.g., British Columbia’s Beverage Container Legacy: The Missing Millions report and recommendations); and
• Harmonious collaboration and liaison with volunteers, non-government organizations, Indigenous, federal, provincial, regional and local governments, industry and international partners to move towards:
  • Restrictions (bans) on certain products and packaging (single use) that pose specific threats to the environment (use bans);
  • Prohibiting the disposal of materials that can be recycled (disposal bans); and
  • Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) standards

The end goal of this pillar is to support the development and implementation of sustainable international policies that will help to end plastic pollution.

REPORTS & PAPERS:

• THE MISSING MILLIONS: British Columbia’s Beverage Container Legacy Report
• VIU- OLF PAPER – Addressing the Growing Issue of Plastic Marine Debris within the Central East Coastline of Vancouver Island

PETITIONS & CALLS TO ACTION:

• MOTION 151 – A National Strategy to Combat Plastic Pollution (Passed 100% in the House of Commons!)
• Towards a Zero Waste Canada – Declaration on Plastics

TOOLS & TEMPLATES:

(coming soon)