The Great Lakes Plastic Cleanup Welcomes Ontario Pumped Storage as New Collaborative Sponsor

The Great Lakes Plastic Cleanup is removing plastic from water, raising awareness about plastic pollution, and gathering data to fill knowledge gaps at sites throughout the Great Lakes

TORONTO, ON — The Great Lakes Plastic Cleanup (GLPC) is pleased to welcome TC Energy and Ontario Pumped Storage (OPS) as a Collaborative Sponsor supporting the initiative’s plastic capture, cleanup, research and community engagement activities over the next four years. OPS’ commitment to environmental stewardship through collaboration, aligns with the GLPC, a collaborative initiative spearheaded by Pollution Probe and the Council of the Great Lakes Region, and supported by a network of partners, to keep the Great Lakes clean, and to educate and engage communities throughout the region in protecting their waterways from plastic pollution.

“The GLPC may be the largest initiative of its kind in the world, but we’re just getting started,” says Christopher Hilkene, CEO of Pollution Probe. “Having collaborative sponsorship from projects like OPS allows the GLPC to expand in a way that maximizes its positive impact through the collection of more data, that reaches more people, and raises awareness on a broader scale.”

The binational Great Lakes region holds over 20% of the world’s surface fresh water, as well as being home to over 3500 species of plants and animals and over 107 million people who rely on the ecosystem services the lakes provide. It is estimated that a staggering 10 million kilograms of plastic enters the largest freshwater system in the world each year, from Canada and the U.S. Given the heightened awareness and concern regarding plastic pollution in freshwater systems and the need to protect the Great Lakes region, OPS’ support of the GLPC is part of a commitment to act as a catalyst for change by supporting sustainability initiatives dedicated to the protection of land, water and ecosystems through co-operation and knowledge-building.

“Environmental stewardship is fundamental to our culture. Programs like the Great Lakes Plastic Cleanup allow us to invest in opportunities that demonstrate in actions the importance of these words,” says Corey Hessen, senior vice president, TC Energy, and president of Power and Storage. “When we can collaborate on initiatives that benefit our communities we can work towards collective results.”

OPS’ support will allow for the inclusion of strategic locations in the Great Lakes, including Georgian Bay, while helping to fill knowledge gaps about the issue of plastic pollution and develop effective policy to bring about positive long-term change.

About the Great Lakes Plastic Cleanup

The Great Lakes Plastic Cleanup, spearheaded by Pollution Probe and the Council of the Great Lakes Region with support from a wide network of collaborators, is the largest initiative of its kind in the world, using innovative Seabin and LittaTrap™ technology to quickly capture and remove plastics and other litter at marinas from Lake Ontario to Lake Superior and everywhere in between. Through research, outreach and education, the Great Lakes Plastic Cleanup is gathering data on litter entering our waterways and identifying how government, industry, and consumers can work together to reduce, reuse and recycle material waste. The initiative is made possible thanks to funding from Environment and Climate Change Canada and the Government of Ontario, with sustaining funding from lead corporate sponsor, NOVA Chemicals.

To learn more, visit www.greatlakesplasticcleanup.org

About Ontario Pumped Storage

Ontario Pumped Storage, is a pumped hydro storage project, representing one of the largest single-site, climate-change initiatives being developed in Canada. The proposed facility is designed to store energy during periods of low demand and deliver emissions-free energy during peak system need. The project is proposed for construction on Department of National Defence’s 4th Canadian Division Training Centre property, near Meaford – Ontario – Canada. For more information see www.ontariopumpedstorageproject.com.

Media Contact:

Sabah Ibrahim

Research and Communications Co-ordinator

Pollution Probe

437-580-7137 | sibrahim@pollutionprobe.org

Abby Bodzick

Marketing and Communications Co-ordinator

Council of the Great Lakes Region

(231) 622-2836 | abby@councilgreatlakesregion.org

Jennifer Link

416-407-3970 or 800-608-7859 | Jennifer_link@tcenergy.com

More Information: