Canada’s ban

Canada is following in the steps that India and the UK took last summer by rolling out plastic  bans on multiple single-use plastics.  They are doing it in their own special way, giving businesses time to reduce inventory, and manufacturers time to retool for a more reusable packaging future.

December 2022 – The manufacture and import for sale of checkout bags, cutlery, foodservice ware made from hard to recycle plastics, stir sticks and straws are prohibited.

June 2023 – The manufacture and import of ring carriers will be prohibited.

These measures are expected to reduce plastic waste by 1.3 million tons of hard-to-recycle plastic, and more than 22,000 tons of plastic pollution – the equivalent of more than one million full garbage bags.

Currently, the Government of Canada is working with provinces, territories and industry to achieve a goal of 90% recycling of plastic beverage bottles, developing regulations to require a minimum of 50% recycled plastic in certain items, and developing a plastic registry to hold plastic producers accountable for their plastic waste. Regulations may be published in the fall of 2023.

Read the full press release.