Our Fresh Water Is Seeing More Plastic Litter due to COVID-19: Here’s what Canada should do about it

The document highlights that less than 10% of plastics are recycled in Canada, with over 3 million tonnes entering landfills or the environment annually. It notes that the COVID-19 pandemic increased reliance on single-use plastics and introduced new pollutants like personal protective equipment (PPE), which can contribute microplastic fibres to waterways. The author argues that Canada's linear waste management approach results in an economic loss of nearly CAD 8 billion and recommends a transition to a circular economy, a ban on harmful single-use plastics by 2021, and increased investment in freshwater plastic research.

• Canada's plastic waste management is characterized by a linear approach where less than 10% of plastics are recycled, resulting in over 3 million tonnes of plastic entering landfills or the environment every year. This inefficiency represents an economic loss of nearly CAD 8 billion.
• Plastic pollution in freshwater systems is significant, with some studies suggesting levels are comparable to those in oceans. Up to 80% of marine plastics originate from rivers. Plastics enter these systems as macroplastics (> 5 mm) from items like beverage bottles and bags, or as microplastics (< 5 mm) from sources including tire wear, microbeads, and clothing microfibres.
• The COVID-19 pandemic has increased the volume of plastic litter in freshwater systems through a higher reliance on single-use plastics and the introduction of single-use personal protective equipment (PPE), such as masks and gloves, which may act as a source of microplastic fibres.

APA

van Reenen, C. (2020). Our Fresh Water Is Seeing More Plastic Litter due to COVID-19: Here’s what Canada should do about it. International Institute for Sustainable Development. https://www.iisd.org/system/files/2020-08/fresh-water-plastic-covid-19.pdf

Chicago

van Reenen, Catherine. Our Fresh Water Is Seeing More Plastic Litter due to COVID-19: Here’s what Canada should do about it. International Institute for Sustainable Development, 2020. https://www.iisd.org/system/files/2020-08/fresh-water-plastic-covid-19.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=van Reenen |first1=Catherine |title=Our Fresh Water Is Seeing More Plastic Litter due to COVID-19: Here’s what Canada should do about it |publisher=International Institute for Sustainable Development |date=August 2020 |url=https://www.iisd.org/system/files/2020-08/fresh-water-plastic-covid-19.pdf |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{vanreenen2020our, author = {van Reenen, Catherine}, title = {{Our Fresh Water Is Seeing More Plastic Litter due to COVID-19: Here’s what Canada should do about it}}, institution = {International Institute for Sustainable Development}, year = {2020}, month = aug, url = {https://www.iisd.org/system/files/2020-08/fresh-water-plastic-covid-19.pdf}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }