TORONTO, Ont- The Canadian Plastics Industry Association, launched a website on Monday devoted to plastic bags, urging city councillors to reconsider a ban on the bag.

“We want councillors to closely look at the environmental, economic, social impact,” Joe Hruska, a spokesperson for the group, told 680News.

“What we hope is they’ll reverse the ban.”

The website, dubbed “All About Bags” attempts to debunk myths associated with the plastic bag.

In a release, the group plugged the website as a “resource tool designed to provide information on plastic shopping bags that will help Council to make an informed decision to reject the plastic bag ban.”

Hruska said the biggest myth is that plastic bags are made from oil, adding that they are made from a natural gas waste product.

He added that they make up less than 0.6 per cent of waste in the city.

“They don’t break down in landfills,” he said. “They will not degrade and therefore, will not produce greenhouse gases.”

He said the plastic bag has a lower carbon footprint than its paper counterpart.

Hruska said a plastic bag ban would jeopardize the jobs of nearly 11,000 people who produce the bag — 5,000 workers in the Greater Toronto Area alone.

In June, council voted 24-20 to restrict retailers from giving out or selling any plastic shopping bags, effective in the new year.

Council will consider the ban next week.