Resource Recovery Team
Informed by a far-reaching study of plastic pollution carried out in 2020, Canada is tackling plastic waste with a new bill aimed at banning many single-use items while also encouraging recycling and producer responsibility.
In October 2020, the Government of Canada released a Science assessment of plastic pollution, noting that plastic was polluting rivers, lakes and oceans as well as harming wildlife and generating microplastics in drinking water sources. Moving quickly, they then proposed a goal of zero plastic waste by 2030 and the Environment and Climate Change Canada (ECCC) passed a federal single-use plastics ban to help achieve that goal.
A far-reaching study on plastic pollution in Canada found that plastic was polluting rivers, lakes and oceans as well as harming wildlife and generating microplastics in drinking water sources.
The ban, which went into effect on June 20, 2023, limits the use of many plastic items including checkout bags, cutlery, foodservice ware, ring carriers, stir sticks and straws. The law also aims to promote reusables and eliminate the use of additional items.
Earlier this summer, British Columbia (metro Vancouver area) went a step further and re-announced its firm commitment to eliminate even more single-use plastic items within the Province.
Earlier this summer, British Columbia (metro Vancouver area) went a step further and re-announced its firm commitment to eliminate even more single-use plastic items within the Province.
The Single-Use and Plastic Waste Prevention Regulation will prohibit the use and sale of shopping bags, disposable food service accessories, oxo-degradable plastics and food service packaging made of polystyrene foam, PVC, PVDC, compostable or biodegradable plastics when it takes effect on December 20, 2023.
|
The CleanBC Plastics Action Plan provides additional support to address plastics from a circular economy viewpoint. Under the plan, investments in innovation for better reusable items and use of recycled content in manufacturing have been made, as well as proposals to expand residential recycling, and executing a huge coastal clean-up project.
It’s important to note policy as one of the most effective ways to address change in the use and abundance of single-use plastics, as behavior change is only part of the puzzle. A combination of tools and policy, accompanied by individual actions, are all going to be necessary to successfully make progress in the world of plastic waste. |
BC's action plan includes investment in recycling and innovation for better reusable items.
|
The Single-Use and Plastic Waste Prevention Regulation in B.C. creates a consistent province-wide approach to reduce the impacts of single-use and plastic items, and the amount of single-use and plastic waste found in the environment.
While the policy is not perfect, Canada’s efforts to take aggressive action on single-use plastics through a combination of regulations and broader systemic projects is a model to watch. Read more about the project on BC's website.
While the policy is not perfect, Canada’s efforts to take aggressive action on single-use plastics through a combination of regulations and broader systemic projects is a model to watch. Read more about the project on BC's website.
Author Profile
Written by the Resource Recovery Team at World Centric
Written by the Resource Recovery Team at World Centric
