foam free waters
A National Campaign to End Polystyrene Pollution
Address polystyrene pollution by calling for a federal ban on expanded and extruded polystyrene (known as styrofoam) through Motion-80
click to send a letter now to support motion-80
MP Rachel Blaney has put forward Motion-80 in the House of Commons, calling for a ban on both expanded polystyrene and extruded polystyrene (XPS) in floating structures in the aquatic environment.
EPS and XPS material and fragments are crucial to eliminate from the aquatic environment if we hope to make a significant impact on plastic pollution. These materials make up 50-70% of pollution collected by cleanup groups in British Columbia, in both urban and remote coastlines of BC. These materials are also the most common material collected across Canada during Great Canadian Shoreline Clean-up events. This is because EPS and XPS is used in aquatic environments, such as in docks, marinas and aquaculture infrastructure. Meanwhile, single-use plastics that the federal government have banned represent around 3% of plastic waste in Canada.
Luckily, there are many readily available alternatives that are manufactured in Canada that can be used instead of EPS and XPS, especially for floats for docks, rafts, aquaculture amenities and other marine infrastructure. Air-filled flotation devices can easily replace these unstable and hazardous materials, and are more weather-resistant and sustainable alternatives to polystyrene floats.
POLYSTYRENE IS CREATING AN EVERYDAY DISASTER IN CANADIAN WATERS
Frequently Asked Questions
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In the autumn of 2022, with your help, we successfully encouraged local governments to endorse a call to ban expanded polystyrene (EPS) at the Union of British Columbia Municipalities Convention (Resolution EB 53). We demonstrated to the provincial government that citizens and municipalities want real action to take care of the coastline - which was unanimously passed. At the same time, we amplified the federal petition calling for a ban on marine EPS, supported by Member of Parliament Rachel Blaney, which amassed thousands of signatures. However, the Government of Canada has rejected this petition, and their response states they recognizes that expanded polystyrene is a critical global challenge that requires prompt action. However, tabling this decision is not acting promptly, and we still need this crisis addressed.
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The best alternatives are air filled floats. We recommend the following suppliers:
- New Wave Docks (100 Mile / Campbell River) rotationally molded polyethylene docks
- Sandale Utility Products (Surrey) Fusion welded HDPE pipe
- Poseidon Ocean Systems (Campbell River) HDPE tube floatation - built primarily for aquaculture -
Surfboards use foam that is encapsulated, surfboards are not leaking foam into aquatic environments everyday. Thus, we are not asking for a ban on surfboards, just a ban on unencapsulated expanded polystyrene for use in the aquatic environment.
There are also numerous initiatives where surfboard shapers are upcycling used EPS for surfboard blanks, even including marine debris EPS that Surfrider finds! -
Essentially, no. “One of the biggest challenges involved with reducing polystyrene pollution is the lack of recycling facilities (Fauna & Flora International, 2020). In Canada, only ~9% of all plastic waste is recycled (CCME, 2020). This is, in part, due to a shortage of recycling facilities.
Many companies involved with polystyrene have their own internal recycling programs for their products. However, these programs are typically only extended to their existing customer base.
In many cases, polystyrene cannot be recycled. When polystyrene washes up on shore, it is typically degraded in quality. For example, polystyrene used in aquaculture is often polluted with seaweed and barnacles, and cannot be reused or recycled (Gov. of BC, 2020).
The problem of polystyrene pollution is further exacerbated by the fact that many landfills do not accept the material (Gov. of BC, 2020).” bcstyropollution.org -
Yes!
While policy limiting polystyrene is relatively new, there are several jurisdictions in North America that have introduced limits on the use of XPS and EPS in the marine infrastructure. In Ontario, Bill 228 “An Act to prohibit unencapsulated expanded or extruded polystyrene in floating docks, floating platforms and buoys” recieved royal assent in May, 2021, and came into effect a year later. The Bill requires persons who sell, offer to sell or construct floating docks, floating platforms or buoys to ensure that any expanded or extruded polystyrene in the dock, platform or buoy is fully encapsulated.
Additionally, Washington state enacted the “Plastic Pollution Reduction” Bill in April 2023 bill, which bans the sale and installation of polystrene floats, which comes into effect January, 2024. This ban encompasses (a) Overwater structures containing expanded or extruded plastic foam that is not fully enclosed and contained in a shell made of plastic with a minimum thickness of 0.15 inches, concrete, aluminum, or steel; and (b) Blocks or floats containing or comprised of expanded or extruded plastic foam that are not fully enclosed and contained in a shell made of plastic with a minimum thickness of 0.15 inches, concrete, aluminum, or steel, and that are intended for use in or in conjunction with overwater structures.Ontario Bill 228: https://www.ola.org/sites/default/files/node-files/bill/document/pdf/2021/2021-05/b228ra_e.pdf
Washington Bill 1085: https://lawfilesext.leg.wa.gov/biennium/2023-24/Pdf/Bills/Session%20Laws/House/1085-S.SL.pdf?q=20231204081533 -
You can support by sharing the petition with your network, everytime we amass 500 digital signatures and 30 hard copy signatures, MP Rachel Blaney will rise in the House of Commons to speak to this issue.
You can also support by donating to Surfrider Foundation Canada, and these funds will support our efforts to replace and ban expanded polystyrene flotation. We encourage you to Adopt a Dock today at https://canada.surfrider.org/donate!