TORONTO – The Canada
Plastic Bag Association (CPBA) has added its voice to the Ontario Convenience
Store Association’s (OCSA) call for an overturn of Toronto’s citywide ban on
plastic bags, The National reports.
The bag association argues
that the city council did not consult the public before passing the ban. The
CPBA applied to the Ontario Superior Court this week to squash the ban, which
will go into effect Jan. 1.
“As the Toronto city
council gave no notice, undertook no public consultation, carried out no due
diligence and received no advice prior to adopting [it], the bag-ban resolution
ought to be quashed for having been passed in bad faith,” said Joe Hruska, CPBA
spokesman.
The bag association
pointed out that its makers and sellers of plastic bags would be “significantly
impacted” if Toronto went ahead with the ban. The OCSA made a similar legal
action with the courts, saying that the city council did not have the authority
to enact such a ban and that it was pushed through too quickly.
Toronto has said retailers
would have six months to comply with the ban before fines would be levied for
noncompliance. This week, Los
Angeles passed a ban on plastic bags, which will take effect starting Jan.
1.