A stark reminder of corporate responsibility in plastic pollution

26 October 2018 (TORONTO) – On Tuesday, October 30th, 2018, Greenpeace Canada will reveal, downtown Toronto, a large-sized sculpture that contains branded plastic trash cleaned up and audited across Canada last month. The event is open to the public.

The top five plastic polluters in Canada according to Greenpeace’s audit results were revealed earlier this month. Greenpeace Canada cleaned up nearly 10,000 L of trash, three-quarters of which was plastic. Over 3,000 pieces of non-identifiable and identifiable  branded plastic waste were collected. 46% of the identifiable plastic waste belonged to Nestlé, Tim Hortons, PepsiCo., The Coca-Cola Company and McDonald’s.

While some of these largest polluters have signed onto the G7 ‘Zero Plastics Waste’ Charter ‘committing to fight plastic pollution by investing into better recycling processes’, a recent Greenpeace International report, ‘A Crisis of Convenience’ (released last tuesday), demonstrates that none of the 11 surveyed Fast Moving Consumer Goods (FMCG) companies, which included Nestlé, PepsiCo., The Coca-Cola Company, Danone, P&G and others, have comprehensive strategies that include commitments to reduce their production of single-use plastic or offer more sustainable alternatives.

The eight-foot high art installation of an albatross mother feeding its child single-use plastic is intended to connect these corporate polluters back to the plastic pollution pandemic and create a visual reminder of the real threats facing our oceans.

Members of the press are invited to visit the art installation and to speak with volunteers and staff who participated in the cleanups last month and helped construct the sculpture.

EVENT DETAILS

Date: Tuesday, October 30th, 2018

Event: Plastic Polluters Branded Trash Sculpture Reveal

Time : 11 AM to 5 PM EST

Location: Yonge- Dundas Square, 1 Dundas St E, Toronto, ON, M5B 2R8.

A press release will be available next tuesday.

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Press Contact:

Loujain Kurdi, Greenpeace Canada, Communications Officer, [email protected], +1 (514) 577-6657.

As of Monday, October 29th, please contact Steve Cornwell to RSVP.

Steve will be present at the event and liaising for interviews with our volunteers and spokesperson.

Steve Cornwell, Greenpeace Canada, Communications Officer, [email protected], +1 (514) 418 0071.