A Canada's National Observer investigation into the battle between government, industry and environmentalists to bring our country's rising plastic pollution under control.
Plastic production is a major source of greenhouse gas emissions and is growing rapidly as demand soars worldwide. If nothing is done, analysts predict it will account for about 13 per cent of the world's remaining carbon budget by 2050.
Plastics are expected to contribute more to climate change than coal-powered generating plants within the next decade, a new report by U.S. environmental organization Beyond Plastics has found. But the problem has so far received minimal attention from politicians and businesses.
A week-long water crisis that has left residents of Nunavut's capital city Iqaluit without drinking water is also exposing a chronic problem for many northern communities: It's almost impossible to safely get rid of garbage.
Cheap plastic coffee cups, takeout containers, and hundreds of other single-use items have long been a substitute for more durable alternatives made from glass, ceramic, or wood, despite the environmental harm they cause.
A global agreement to curb plastic pollution is a few steps closer to becoming a reality after several countries, including the European Union — but not Canada — backed a draft resolution that will speed up negotiations towards an agreement.
Canada and the U.S. share an $18.8-million scrap plastic trade, sending truckloads of waste across the border every day. But what happens to these shipments after they've crossed international boundaries?
New rules to end plastic pollution in Canada are under "misleading" attacks by a shadowy coalition of Canadian plastic manufacturers, environmental advocates warn following the release of a new survey.