Legislative Action

Bottled water, plastic bag industries take B.C. city to task over proposed bans

DAWSON CREEK, B.C. — There is a row growing over recycling, and a northern B.C. city's proposal to reduce the use of bottled water and plastic bags.

Proponents of both industries are on the offensive against the idea being pondered by Dawson Creek city council, arguing that banning their products could cost jobs or even pose a health risk.

In early April, Dawson Creek city Coun. Marilyn Belak asked city administration to develop and implement a program aimed at reducing bottled water use within the corporation.

She called the use of bottled water an "economic thing gone awry" and a way for environmentally irresponsible companies to make easy money.

This week, the city council received a letter from Nestle Waters Canada, one of the largest producers of bottled water in the country.

"The possibility of a ban is troubling to our employees, customers and business partners who live and conduct commerce in your community," wrote spokesman Gail Cosman.

A ban could impact the employment outlook of the industry, given the current economic environment, and also "future job creation, environmental stewardship and industry investment prospects," she said.

The letter referred to a $7.2-million recycling project Nestle and industry partners have with the Government of Quebec and suggested a similar program in B.C. could address the issues expressed by Dawson Creek council.

But Belak was having none of it.

"Cities don't have to account to corporations for how we run our communities, we have to account to our taxpayers," she said. "I certainly wouldn't want to be seen as being in the pocket of any industry."

The city council is also pondering a ban on plastic bags — an idea that caught the attention of the Environment and Plastics Industry Council.

Executive director Cathy Cirko and research director Richard Summerbell sent their own letter to Dawson Creek city council highlighting the dangers of reusable grocery bags.

"Recent swab-testing by two prominent Canadian microbiological testing laboratories has found reusable grocery bags to be an active bacterial habitat and a breeding ground for yeast and mould after persistent use," they wrote.

"Single-use grocery bags are the most hygienic and safe option for consumers to use to carry food from store to home."

The letter indicated the dangers include food poisoning, bacterial boils, allergic reactions, triggering of asthma attacks, ear infections and even a superbug called "community-acquired MRSA" if the bag is used to transport gym equipment or diapers in addition to groceries.

But Coun. Terry McFadyen said the area is awash in discarded plastic bags, and there's a simple solution to the dangers of reusable bags.

"It makes sense if you throw a pound of hamburger in the bottom of your bag and it leaks a little bit and sits there, so just this weekend I threw all my reusable shopping bags in the laundry," he said. "If you wash them once a week with your laundry you should be okay."

Belak said maybe proposals to ban and reduce plastic products will lead corporations like Nestle to rethink their product lines.

"I really enjoy that small people in small communities can be heard by the global players and that they realize that every single consumer needs to be reacted to," she said.