NDP moves to protect Canada’s lakes and rivers from microbead pollution

With their latest opposition day motion, the NDP is taking action to protect Canada’s lakes and rivers from plastic microbead pollution.

“The best way to deal with pollution is to prevent it in the first place,” said NDP Environment critic Megan Leslie (Halifax). “Canada must join with leading jurisdictions around the world and work towards eliminating microbeads from the products we use every day – for the sake of our waters and our environment.”

Microbeads are small manufactured pieces of plastic which are used in consumer products like facial cleansers, shower gel and toothpaste. They have been found in high concentrations in Great Lakes waters, particularly downstream of major cities and in the sediments of the St. Lawrence River.

The motion is as follows:

“That, in the opinion of the House, microbeads in consumer products entering the environment could have serious harmful effects, and therefore the government should take immediate measures to add microbeads to the list of toxic substances managed by the government under the Canadian Environmental Protection Act, 1999.”