To ban or not to ban: 6 facts about plastic bags

As the City of Montreal announces a consultation on thepotential ban of single-use plastic grocery bags, here are some facts to consider:

1. Canadians take home55million plastic bags every week, according to a2008 Parliament of Canada report.That works out to almost 3-billion each year.

2. Countries such as Bangladesh, Burma and Thailand have banned plastic bagsbecause of floodingcaused when the bags clog up storm sewers.

3. A plastic bag ban in California has been suspendedpending a referendumon the subject in November 2016. The bag lobby gathered enough signatures to launch the referendum.

4. A study at the University of British Columbia found 93 per cent ofbeached northernfulmars, a migratory bird related to the albatross, had stomachs full of plastic.

5. Scientists at the University of Illinois have found its possible to convert plastic bags intodiesel and natural gas.

6. LeafRapids, a town in northwest Manitoba, was the first Canadian municipality to ban single-use plastic bags back in 2007.