Canada Banning Plastic Bags, Straws, Cutlery and Other Single-Use Items by the End of 2021

0

OTTAWA — Under the newly unveiled list of single-use plastics being banned in Canada, plastic grocery bags, straws, stir sticks, six-pack rings, cutlery and food containers made from hard-to-recycle plastics will be out of use nationwide by the end of 2021.

Environment and Climate Change Minister Jonathan Wilkinson is announcing the federal government’s next steps towards its plan to achieve zero plastic waste by 2030.

As first pledged last year, and re-committed in the Liberal’s September Throne Speech, the government is moving ahead with banning certain “harmful” single-use plastics that are consistently found in the environment and for which there are readily available alternatives, while finding ways to make sure more plastic is recycled.

Citing the need to consult, the government will be soliciting feedback on a “discussion paper” until December 9. The finalized new regulations wouldn’t come into effect until the end of 2021.

In the spring, Wilkinson signalled that the ban on single-use plastics may be delayed because of the pandemic. By the summer, a Canadian report found public support for a crackdown on certain products was dwindling as the majority of those surveyed said they liked the health-and-safety protections associated with disposable plastics over reusable alternatives.

Citing the ongoing need for single-use plastic personal-protective equipment items such as face shields, the federal government says the ban will not impact access to PPE.

However, due to the pandemic and ongoing health restrictions, many restaurants have had to pivot to take-out meals and are providing customers with plastic cutlery, and it remains to be seen what kind of financial impact this looming ban will have on these businesses.

When the ban on single-use plastics was first announced, the federal government said it would be focusing on holding big companies responsible for their plastic production, requiring them to play a part in collecting and recycling their materials.

Last week’s announcement includes a proposal to establish recycled-content requirements in products and packaging, which the federal government says will spark investment in recycling infrastructure and innovation in technology to extend the life of plastic materials.

Wilkinson is also committing $2 million for a zero plastic-waste initiative, to go to 14 Canadian-led projects.

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.