Federal Government bans production and import of single use plastics in effort to protect environment
December 20, 2022 – Effective today, the production and import of certain plastic items, including grocery bags, straws, cutlery, stir sticks, and takeout containers, is banned in Canada. Additionally, it will be illegal to sell these items in a year’s time.
Then in June, the ban will also include plastic rings used to package six-packs of canned drinks, and the sale of these will be prohibited one year later.
The Canadian government estimates the ban on single-use plastics will prevent the production of 1.3 million tonnes of difficult-to-recycle plastic waste and one million garbage bags’ worth of pollution.
While Prime Minister Justin Trudeau promised in 2019 that a ban on these items would take effect by 2021, it took the government an additional year to establish a regulatory framework for the ban.
Canada has invested nearly $19 million to support small- and medium-sized businesses develop solutions to address plastic pollution.
Statistics from last month show that Canadians have already been reducing their use of plastic items such as straws and bags in anticipation of the national ban.
Corporate Canada responds to Plastic Ban
Corporate Canada has responded to the ban, with Tim Hortons revealing new packaging and cutlery options.
Tim Hortons restaurants are eliminating the use of 90 million single-use plastics a year. Stores will introduce wooden and fibre cutlery, starting in early 2023 with plastic lids being replaced by fibre.
A new breakfast and lunch wrapper that will be introduced in 2023 that uses 75% less material than the prior wrap box, and will save 1,400 tonnes of material a year.
The test of the fibre hot beverage lid is now live in the City of Vancouver and will run for approximately 12 weeks.
