4. How well do you know what can be recycled in the City of Toronto?
For the next set of slides,
Clap if you see an item that can be recycled.
Keep score to see you how you do!
The Recycling Game
27. End of Game! How did you do?
Correct Answers:
17-22 You’re a certified Tree-Hugger! Ready to lead a school campaign?
11-16 You’re a Blue-Bin Buddy. Ready to teach your family how to recycle?
6-10 You’re a Recycling Roadster that’s almost there!
1 - 5 You’re a Plastics Pal that needs to be more Blue-Bin friendly. You can do it!
28. The Most Common Plastic Culprits
Culprit #1 - Plastic straws
43. Now that you have learned about this theme
of plastic production
complete more inquiry questions as a class.
Editor's Notes
This diagram shows how effective we are as a nation in managing our plastic waste. Break down the infographic with students.
Image taken from Globe & Mail Article:
Compiled by Lewis, J., Hayes, M. and Annett, E. (2019, June 17). “Canada’s planned single-use plastics ban: What we know so far and what you can do to recycle better”, Compiled by the Globe & Mail from The Associated Press and The Canadian Press. Retrieved on August 9, 2019, from: https://www.theglobeandmail.com/canada/article-canadas-single-use-plastics-ban-what-we-know-so-far-and-what-you-can/
This image shows major Canadian cities and the rates of contamination (i.e. recycling that had to be sent to landfill because it was not correct material nor clean enough to resell to industry). Notice, Toronto has the worst rate, followed closely by Edmonton. Why do you think this might be the case?
Image taken from Globe & Mail Article:
Compiled by Lewis, J., Hayes, M. and Annett, E. (2019, June 17). “Canada’s planned single-use plastics ban: What we know so far and what you can do to recycle better”, Compiled by the Globe & Mail from The Associated Press and The Canadian Press. Retrieved on August 9, 2019, from: https://www.theglobeandmail.com/canada/article-canadas-single-use-plastics-ban-what-we-know-so-far-and-what-you-can/
Free Recycling Images #1291346 (License: Personal Use). Retrieved August 10, 2019 from: http://clipart-library.com/clipart/6ip6R8jAT.htm
"Yoghurt" by matsuyuki is licensed under CC BY-SA 2.0
Yes - yoghurt tubs can be recycled, but only if cleaned
"eggcarton2" by inspector_81 is licensed under CC BY-SA 2.0
Yes - plastic egg cartons and other clamshell plastics can be recycled
"styrofoam" by romana klee is licensed under CC BY-SA 2.0
Yes - Styrofoam food containers and cups can be recycled, as long as it is not too dirty (e.g. with sauce), otherwise it must be thrown in the garbage. This is to avoid contaminating other products in the recycling plant which cannot be resold. Note: Foam meat trays will be accepted if washed.
“Nations Take-out Container” photo taken by A. Ferrer (August 10, 2019). Permission to reproduce for non-commercial purposes
Yes: Lid can be recyled
No: Black plastics cannot be recycled. Recycling plants use optical scanners to sort material and cannot read dark coloured plastics. They must go in the garbage.
"Take out" by sarahstierch is licensed under CC BY 2.0
Yes - clear plastics can be recycled as long as they’re rinsed and/or washed (to avoid contamination)
"Wrap" by isriya is licensed under CC BY-NC 2.0
No: Many pre-packaged food wraps (crinkly sound) from take-out cannot be recycled.
"Bread" by Br3nda is licensed under CC BY-NC-SA 2.0
Yes - plastic bread bags can be recycled
"wedding food" by Lon2000 is licensed under CC BY-NC-SA 2.0
No: Household cling wrap cannot be recycled.
"Souris Tim Horton's" by Cory Gurman is licensed under CC BY-NC-SA 2.0 (left image)
No - both the cup and lid cannot be recycled; the cup is made of mixed paper and plastic resin that cannot be effectively recycled to resell in the market; see explanation for lid in next slide
These are biodegradable plastics.
"Biobag" by tiffany bridge is licensed under CC BY-NC-SA 2.0 (image on left)
"corncup" by valamelmeo is licensed under CC BY-NC-SA 2.0 (image on right)
No - All biodegradable plastics cannot be recycled (they are meant to break down and cannot be used to make new plastic)
"Schnuck's plastic grocery bag on my head" by benchilada is licensed under CC BY-NC-SA 2.0
Yes - grocery bags can be recycled
"Ziploc Bag of Candy Canes" by stevendepolo is licensed under CC BY 2.0
No - only non-zipper sandwich bags can be recycled
"A thousand evil ideas..." by UragawaKyo is licensed under CC BY-NC-SA 2.0
No - CDs and DVDs are not recyclable
"4cp-offset-vinyl" by Vulcan Information Packaging is licensed under CC BY-SA 2.0
No - binders cannot be recycled (they’re a mix of plastic and paper that can’t be separated at the recycling plant)
“Plastic squeeze tubes” photo taken by A. Ferrer (August 10, 2019). Permission to reproduce for non-commercial purposes
No - Plastic squeeze tubes for home/personal products (e.g. shampoo, lotion, etc) are not recyclable
"Scott Naturals Tube Free Toilet Paper, 2014, by Mike Mozart of TheToyChannel and JeepersMedia on YouTube #Scott #Toilet #Paper" by JeepersMedia is licensed under CC BY 2.0
Yes - plastic wrap around toilet paper, paper towels, napkins, water/soft drink cases, etc. is recyclable
"CAM_0189.JPG" by aaron_anderer is licensed under CC BY-ND 2.0
No: Coffee pods cannot be recycled by the city, even if it has the recycling symbol on it.
“Always Overwrap” photo taken by A. Ferrer (August 10, 2019). Permission to reproduce for non-commercial purposes
Yes: Diaper/feminine hygiene outer bags can be recycled.
“Frozen strawberries plastic bag ” photo taken by A. Ferrer (August 10, 2019). Permission to reproduce for non-commercial purposes
Yes: Frozen fruit/vegetable bags can be recycled (but not the kind that are stand-up pouches!)
"091/365" by vuongat is licensed under CC BY-NC 2.0
No: Squeeze tubes are not recyclable
"Ajax Detergent 1" by Ian Fuller is licensed under CC BY-NC 2.0
Yes: Detergent type bottles (including sprayers and pumps) can be recycled - Rinse, then keep lids on tight!
"Pantene Shampoo and Conditioner, 9/2014, by Mike Mozart of TheToyChannel and JeepersMedia on YouTube #Pantene #Shampoo #Conditioner" by JeepersMedia is licensed under CC BY 2.0
Yes - Shampoo and hand soap bottles can be recycled (rinse then keep lids on and tight for spray/pump bottles)
Free Recycling Images #1291369 (License: Personal Use). Retrieved on August 10, 2019 from: http://clipart-library.com/clipart/gceE5Grcd.htm
If you want to show a 6 minute video that has great general guidelines of how to remember what can be recycled or not, see Nadine Kerr, City of Toronto Solid Waste Management Services. Visit the Globe and Mail website, scroll to the bottom of the page and click on the video: https://www.theglobeandmail.com/canada/article-canadas-single-use-plastics-ban-what-we-know-so-far-and-what-you-can/
Image: "Summer's Last Straws" by John-Pa is licensed under CC BY-NC-ND 2.0
Excerpt from Globe & Mail Article:
“Why they’re bad: North Americans use hundreds of millions of drinking straws every day. Straws and stir sticks are a comparatively tiny part of plastic waste produced, but because they’re seen as extraneous items, banning them is a comparatively easy way for waste-reduction policies to show immediate results. Keeping plastic straws and stir sticks out of the oceans saves the sea life who can mistake them for food.”
What can you use as an alternative? Consider using metal straws which can now be purchased at many retail stores and range in price, as low as $1 each in a package.
Compiled by Lewis, J., Hayes, M. and Annett, E. (2019, June 17). “Canada’s planned single-use plastics ban: What we know so far and what you can do to recycle better”, Compiled by the Globe & Mail from The Associated Press and The Canadian Press. Retrieved on August 9, 2019, from: https://www.theglobeandmail.com/canada/article-canadas-single-use-plastics-ban-what-we-know-so-far-and-what-you-can/
Show the video (see note below) and then allow students to do a Think-Pair-Share:
* How did they feel while watching this video? Explain.
* Does this brief 30 second clip compel them to avoid using plastic straws? Explain.
Video Sea turtle with straw up its nostril (start at 1:15 to 1:30, then 7:50 to 8:05) to avoid swearing; note: graphic content (blood from turtle’s nose and it’s in pain)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4wH878t78bw
Figgener, C. (2015, August 10) “Sea turtle with straw up its nostril - NO to plastic straws”. Published by Sea Turtle Biologist; Retrieved on August 7 2019 from: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4wH878t78bw
Image: "2018-08-FL-194009" by acme london is licensed under CC BY-NC 2.0
Excerpt from Globe & Mail Article:
“Plastic forks, knives and spoons are made from more durable ingredients, like polypropylene and polystyrene, that can’t be recycled. Same with Styrofoam plates, which usually end up in landfills.”
Compiled by Lewis, J., Hayes, M. and Annett, E. (2019, June 17). “Canada’s planned single-use plastics ban: What we know so far and what you can do to recycle better”, Compiled by the Globe & Mail from The Associated Press and The Canadian Press. Retrieved on August 9, 2019, from: https://www.theglobeandmail.com/canada/article-canadas-single-use-plastics-ban-what-we-know-so-far-and-what-you-can/
"Schnuck's plastic grocery bag on my head" by benchilada is licensed under CC BY-NC-SA 2.0
Excerpt from Globe & Mail Article:
“The low-density polyethylene (LDPE) you find in grocery bags is durable enough to last for a thousand years before breaking down, but flimsy and light enough to end up in the stomachs of marine life, birds and, in microplastic form, human diets too. Not all recycling programs can accept LDPE, and if they do, chances are they might dispose of it by incineration, which produces greenhouse gases and toxic byproducts.
What can I use instead? Some types of plastic bags are advertised as biodegradable, but be sure to read the fine print: Some will only degrade in industrial composting plants, not if you dispose of them some other way, and others don’t degrade nearly as well as the manufacturers say they will. Durable tote bags can help reduce waste, but since they take much more energy and material to produce than LDPE, you’ll need to reuse them a lot – as in thousands of times over several years – to see a net savings in C02 waste. The best rule of thumb is to reuse whatever you have, as much as possible, without buying more carrying items unless you really have to.”
Compiled by Lewis, J., Hayes, M. and Annett, E. (2019, June 17). “Canada’s planned single-use plastics ban: What we know so far and what you can do to recycle better”, Compiled by the Globe & Mail from The Associated Press and The Canadian Press. Retrieved on August 9, 2019, from: https://www.theglobeandmail.com/canada/article-canadas-single-use-plastics-ban-what-we-know-so-far-and-what-you-can/
Since 1950, over the last 70 years, 8.3 billion tonnes of plastic have been produced, 6.3 billion tonnes of which have been discarded.
Excerpt from Economic Times (India Times) article:
“Of the 8.3 billion tonnes of plastic produced, 6.3 billion tonnes have been discarded. Every year, nearly 13 million tonnes of plastic waste are added to oceans. Given their durability, plastics do not decompose. “
“A plastic bottle takes between 450-1000 years to decompose,” explained Environment Minister Harsh Vardhan.
Much of the growth in plastic production is driven by single use or disposable applications. Nearly 50 % of plastics used are single use products such as bottles, plastic bags, packaging, straws, stirrers, spoons and forks. Around the world, 1 million plastic drinking bottles are purchased every minute. Every year we use up to 5 trillion disposable plastic bags.”
Goswami, U. (2018, June 1) “An 8.3-bn tonne problem: How to manage plastic waste”, Economic Times Bureau. Retrieved on August 8, 2019 from: https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/industry/indl-goods/svs/paper-/-wood-/-glass/-plastic/-marbles/our-plastic-pollution-problem/articleshow/64420276.cms
Image from University of Oxford, Global Change Data Lab:
Hannah Ritche and Max Roser (2019) - “Plastic Pollution”. Published online at OurWorldInData.org. Retrieved from: https://ourworldindata.org/plastic-pollution
Image on Left from Economic Times (India Times):
Goswami, U. (2018, June 1) “An 8.3-bn tonne problem: How to manage plastic waste”, Economic Times Bureau. Retrieved on August 8, 2019 from: https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/industry/indl-goods/svs/paper-/-wood-/-glass/-plastic/-marbles/our-plastic-pollution-problem/articleshow/64420276.cms
Image on Right - from University of Oxford, Global Change Data Lab:
Hannah Ritche and Max Roser (2019) - “Plastic Pollution”. Published online at OurWorldInData.org. Retrieved from: https://ourworldindata.org/plastic-pollution
Ask students to connect to the following website for an interactive experience to learn what happens to the plastic we throw out as populations. Alternatively, you could visit the site as a class through the slide projector: https://www.nationalgeographic.com/magazine/2018/06/the-journey-of-plastic-around-the-globe/
Maps and graphics: Brian T. Jacobs, Kennedy Elliott, Jason Treat. Text editor: Laura Parker. Mismanaged municipal plastic waste polygons and river plastic output points: Laurent Lebreton, The Ocean Cleanup. Henderson Island video: Jennifer Lavers, University of Tasmania; Manila drone video: Mike Hettwer; manta ray video: Pedro Barroso. Trash modeling: Erik van Sebille, Utrecht University
This is a collage of the images from the previous Gallery Walk lesson activity. Please see the “Impact of Plastics Gallery Walk” slides for the full photo credits.
"Where you live everyday." by . Entrer dans le rêve is licensed under CC BY-NC-SA 2.0
Photo taken by Benhur Arcayan, Malacanang Photo Bureau. Retrieved from “Sisters of St. Joseph of Carondelet” website on August 10, 2019 from: https://www.csjalbany.org/news/?articleID=708&
Image from CleanTechnica Article:
Hanley, S. (2019, June 3) “Environmental Impact Of Plastics Could Be Equal To 615 Coal-Fired Generating Plants By 2050”. Retrieved on August 9, 2019 from: https://cleantechnica.com/2019/06/03/environmental-impact-of-plastics-could-be-equal-to-615-coal-fired-generating-plants-by-2050/
Plastic production and disposal will contribute to the climate change crisis (i.e. increased flooding, forest fires, drought and hunger, extreme weather events, environmental refugees, etc.)
Studies have shown the negative effect of microplastics on various marine species (e.g. stressed liver, lower immune system, repiratory health, etc.). More research is required to determine the impact on human health (this is more challenging since you can’t ask humans to ingest set amounts of plastic!). One team, Dr. Caroline Volker et al, examined 464 peer-reviewed scientific articles and determined 67% of them believed the risk of microplastics is still hypothetical since it’s a relatively new field of study, whereas 24% of the articles stated that a definite risk exists.
References:
Smith, M. et al. (2018, August 16). “Microplastics in Seafood and the Implications for Human Health”. Curr Environ Health Rep. 2018; 5(3): 375–386. Published online 2018 Aug 16. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6132564/pdf/40572_2018_Article_206.pdf
Flogeras, J. (2019, June 5). “The Risk of Microplastics: Plight or Hype?”, Published by Advanced Science News. Retrieved on August 9, 2019 from:
https://www.advancedsciencenews.com/the-reality-of-microplastics-risk-plight-or-hype/
Image reference:
Azoulay, D. et al (2019, February) “Plastic & Health: The Hidden Costs of a Plastic Planet”, p8, Centre for International Environmental Law. Retrieved on August 9, 2019 from: https://www.ciel.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/02/Plastic-and-Health-The-Hidden-Costs-of-a-Plastic-Planet-February-2019.pdf
Image Source: "Num5_SeaIce_20um_40X_04192018.jpg" by J. Data Imagery is licensed under CC BY 2.0
More than half the oxygen we breathe comes from marine photosynthesizers like phytoplankton
Excerpt adapted from MSN Article on the esential role of plankton regulating CO₂:
“Phytoplankton and zooplankton not only form the foundation of the ocean food chain, but play an essential role in the ocean’s carbon cycle, capturing carbon dioxide at the surface and transporting the carbon to the deep oceans, where it is stored away from the atmosphere for centuries.
There is growing evidence that these plankton, like other marine species, are ingesting ever greater quantities of microplastic debris with potentially significant impacts on their metabolism, reproductive success, and mortality rates.
Although further research is needed in this field, it raises significant questions about the impact that microplastics may have on the ocean’s ability to store and absorb CO₂ and other greenhouse gases accumulating in our atmosphere.
Earth’s oceans provide the largest single natural sink for man-made greenhouse gases, in the absence of which the climate impacts of fossil fuel burning would be significantly greater. Since the industrial era, the oceans have absorbed 30 to 50 percent of atmospheric anthropogenic CO₂. If we change the ocean’s ability to absorb CO₂ we will see an increased buildup of CO₂ in our atmosphere and other harmful gases that had been previously absorbed by phytoplankton and thus, contribute to climate change.”
Picazo, M. (2019, June 20) “How plastic pollution is contributing to climate change”. Published by MSN Weather Network, Retrieved on August 20, 2019 from: https://www.msn.com/en-ca/weather/topstories/how-plastic-pollution-is-contributing-to-climate-change/ar-AADaMl3
Emphasize the first three icons regarding the importance of the ocean in fighting against climate change.
Image Reference:
Blue Economy Forum. (2017, November 14) “Beyond fish and ships, our oceans provide…” Published by Partnerships in Environmental Management for the Seas of East Asia (PEMSEA). Retrieved on August 10, 2019 from: http://pemsea.org/sites/default/files/Blue%20Economy%20Forum%202017%20Infographic%20(300%20dpi)%2009292017_0.jpg