Toronto bans plastic bags by the start of 2013

[Edward Kennedy]

Stupid herd leaders...shite for brains and jello for a spine.

[Maikeru]

Could someone expain the legal basis for a municipality to ban a product such as plastic bags?

First, they came for the Nuclear ships...

[Maikeru]

This stupidity falls right on the lap of the Fords. They do not have enough votes on council to carry any motions. But like all brianless politicians they cannot count to see if they have at least 24 votes to carry one of their stupid ideas.

One presumes the 'stupid idea' you're referring to was the motion to rescind the 6¢ per bag charge levied by the earlier Miller led Toronto City Council, which triggered the 27-17 blowback decision to ban plastic bags altogether.
It will be interesting to follow where that decision leads, as folks who swallow big lies repeated often enough oftentimes revolt when confronted by seemingly - at the time - small lies, which trigger their wrath.

The record of Ford as Mayor is pathetic. He promised no tax increases and no cuts in services. Toronto saw a 2% tax increase and a loss of services. He promised to get rid of the land transfer tax and that will not happen.
Toronto the city of fools, governed by fools.

There are at least 17 folks governing Toronto who are not fools.
OTOH, a former Mayor of Toronto went on to become the Chief Commissioner of the Ontario Human Rights Commission, ensuring that there would always be enough foolishness to keep folks fully occupied...

[Julian]

I fail to comprehend how this can be legal. On what legal authority is this collection of idiots acting? They cannot pass by-laws that contravene the common law.

[RedDog]

As I pointed out earlier, I use such bags to line wastebaskets. One in each bathroom; one under the sink in the kitchen and one under the desk on which I now type. They will ultimately go into a single large green bag on a Wednesday morning but not every week because I simply don't generate that much trash.

I mostly use cloth bags which I keep both in my car and in my bicycle backpack but am debating that. Virtually all are made in China which has no interest in their environment and are destroying the planet at Wang Chung light speed. There is now a proven bacteria issue with them and if you wash them you can see daylight through them in a month so you need to get new ones - made in China again.

Basically two bags a month then. I'm thinking I'm not the problem and if such a bylaw were in place here I'd just buy the kitchen catcher bags for the very occasional use I refer to and no difference would be realized at the land fill. It would just cost me more but make no environmental difference to anything.

[styky]

Reusable bags full of germs

Maryam Shah, QMI Agency

First posted: Saturday, June 09, 2012 09:43 AM EDT | Updated: Saturday, June 09, 2012 10:07 AM EDT
TORONTO, ON - With plastic bags soon to be outlawed in Toronto, possibly to be followed by other municipalities, many shoppers will turn to reusable bags as the logical replacement.

Maybe not.

University of Ottawa microbiologist Dr. Jason Tetros calls them "a nightmare for public health (units)," warning that people should be aware of bacteria growing on their bags.

"if you are getting groceries, then there's a chance that they will end up leaking into the bag, and then you have growth and virus survival," he said.

While the risk of contracting salmonella or E. coli from a reusable bag is very low, Tetros, also known as the Germ Guy, suggests that consumers should prepare to regularly throw their grocery bags into the washer.

He cited a report by the Canadian Plastics Industry Association (CPIA) from 2008, which said that reusable bags can harbour germs from meat and produce.

"We need to ... educate the public on how to maintain the safety of reusable grocery bags," he said...................http://www.torontosun.com/2012/06/09/re ... l-of-germs

[RedDog]

Thanks. I raised that point and I know it's been discussed here before. The cloth bags are breeding grounds for bacteria and potential disease. If you launder them they last a couple weeks tops. Virtually all are made in China and we know all about their life long devotion to and respect for the environment. The world champions of environmental responsibility the Chinese are.

I think I'll go back to plastic. It supports the oil industry as well.

[styky]

Thanks. I raised that point and I know it's been discussed here before. The cloth bags are breeding grounds for bacteria and potential disease. If you launder them they last a couple weeks tops. Virtually all are made in China and we know all about their life long devotion to and respect for the environment. The world champions of environmental responsibility the Chinese are.

I think I'll go back to plastic. It supports the oil industry as well.

Contain lead and are known to be made in some countries by slave labour.

[Edward Kennedy]

I fail to comprehend how this can be legal. On what legal authority is this collection of idiots acting? They cannot pass by-laws that contravene the common law.

Of course it is not legal, they are commies in waiting, Ignore such garbage decrees.

[NeoLuddite]

If a grocery shopper really wanted to make a statement they would opt for a plain natural jute burlap bag with a drawstring and no logo or advert printed with what's likely lead-based dye or paint. The Chinese-made bags are made with polyester or some other synthetic material derived from petroleum. Burlap breathes and wears well, also washes many times over without disintegrating.

[styky]

Here's who's making many of our reuseable bags..........http://www.lfpress.com/news/world/2012/ ... 49456.html

[Edward Kennedy]

Here's who's making many of our reuseable bags..........http://www.lfpress.com/news/world/2012/ ... 49456.html

Love of the damned dollar fuels many criminal operations...drugs, pornography, abortion, and food production from offshore sources. I will not puirchase any products from Thailand.

[AndrewL.]

people that live close to the bordering cities (Mississauga, Pickering Markham, Vaughn) will simply go there and spend their money

Nah. The 905 cities will do the politically correct thing and ban them as well. They always follow Toronto on these issues.

[Kate Shaw]

Fortunately my family are avid Wal-Mart shoppers and are now saving their bags for me. Until it becomes illegal to possess plastic bags, I'm set!

P.S. I am guessing this will never go into effect, anyway; once the legal department has had their say, the toddlers will back away.

[styky]

Well isn't this special. When I heard the interview with the Mayor of Winnipeg I sent off an email immediately asking him what the H he was thinking re the banning bags and the possibility of the same thing happening in this city. HE CALLED ME PERSONALLY today and assured me that this would not happen here. I hope he's a man of his word.