Canada Is Officially Banning Some Single-Use Plastics In 2022 & Here's What'll Be Prohibited
No more plastic straws, Canada!
People walking while carrying multiple single-use plastic bags.
Say goodbye to single-use plastics, Canada! The federal government has confirmed that a bunch of plastic items will be prohibited in Canada, with the ban beginning in December 2022.
In a statement on Monday, June 20, the Liberal government announced that it has published the final regulations to prohibit single-use plastics.
The move is described by Environment and Climate Change Canada as a "comprehensive plan to ban harmful single-use plastics and keep them out of the environment."
The manufacture and import of several single-use plastics will be banned effective December 2022, although you may still spot plastic-y items for a little bit longer.
That's because businesses in Canada will be given an extra year to "transition and to deplete their existing stocks," which means the items will not be officially prohibited until December 2023.
Included in the ban are items across several categories, including things like plastic supermarket bags, one-use plastic cutlery and food-service ware made from or containing problematic plastics that are hard to recycle.
\u201cHere\u2019s the plan \ud83d\udc47\n\n\u2705 2022: ban on the manufacture and import of these single use plastics\n\u2705 2023: ban on the sale\n\u2705 2025: ban on the export \n\nTogether these actions will eliminate more than 1.3 MILLION tonnes of plastic waste.\u201d— Steven Guilbeault (@Steven Guilbeault) 1655746468
Also getting the boot are plastic ring carriers (like what holds packs of beer together), stir sticks that you get in cafes and coffee shops and even straws, although there will be some exceptions for medical and accessibility reasons.
That's not all, either. The government also plans to prohibit the export of plastics in six categories by the end of 2025, making Canada one of the first countries to do so.
According to the feds, this "world-leading ban" will result in 1.3 million tonnes of difficult-to-recycle waste being eliminated.
Additionally, an expected 22,000 tonnes of plastic pollution will be prevented, which is equivalent to over 1 million garbage bags full of litter.
Speaking on Monday, Canada's Minister of Environment and Climate Change Steven Guilbeault said, "We promised Canadians we would deliver a ban on single-use plastics. Today, that's exactly what we've done."
"By the end of the year, you won't be able to manufacture or import these harmful plastics."
In Canada, as many as 15 billion plastic checkout bags are used every year. Perhaps more surprising is that approximately 16 million straws are used every day in this country alone. Eek!
The single-use plastic ban is one of many programs and initiatives the government is implementing to encourage Canadians to become more environmentally friendly.
For example, the feds are offering grants and loans to make your home greener, as well as thousands of dollars to get a new car following an upcoming ban on the sale of new gas-powered cars.
This article's cover image was used for illustrative purposes only.