India & Canada’s broad new band on single-use plastic

Effective July 1, India has banned 19 single-use plastic items including plastic cutlery, ice cream and ear bud sticks, film wrappers on candy, cigarette packs and greeting cards and more.  Meanwhile Canada has announced its program to eliminate the creation and importation of 6 types of single use plastic by the end of the year.

In India, the ban covers the manufacture, sale or import of the restricted items.  It does not ban plastic bags, but does require an increase in thickness to make them easier to reuse.  Plastic water bottles and some packaging materials are not included in the ban, but manufacturers are charged with Expanded Producer Responsibility to ensure that they are recycled.

Canada’s new bans will roll out over the next few years, beginning with a Dec. 2022 ban on the manufacture and import of check-out bags, straws, tableware and cutlery.   In Dec. 2023, a ban on the sales of those items will take effect, giving businesses a year to adapt and find substitute materials.  In Dec. 2025, Canada will ban the export of these plastic items.

For an interesting and entertaining summary of the India bans, join Anuj Ramatri on Ecofreaks:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k2a9d_WRVXk

For more information on Canada’s ban:

https://www.cnbc.com/2022/06/21/canada-is-banning-single-use-plastics-by-the-end-of-the-year-.html