Canada moves to ban harmful single-use plastics by December

By Oluwaseun Sonde

The Canadian Government has moved forward a comprehensive plan to ban harmful single-use plastics and keep them out of the environment so as to reduce plastic littering local park or hiking trail or on the shoreline where kids play.

This was disclosed on Monday after working with Canadians and stakeholders alike to design the ban, while the Government is taking the final step to deliver on this commitment.

As the Minister of Environment and Climate Change, the Honourable Steven Guilbeault, and the Minister of Health, the Honourable Jean-Yves Duclos, published final regulations to prohibit single-use plastics.

According to the publication, the ban on the manufacture and import of these harmful single-use plastics, barring a few targeted exceptions to recognize specific cases, will come into effect in December 2022.

"To provide businesses in Canada with enough time to transition and to deplete their existing stocks, the sale of these items will be prohibited as of December 2023".

Canadian Government will also prohibit the export of plastics in the six categories by the end of 2025, making Canada the first among peer jurisdictions to do so internationally.

The Government stated that over the next decade, this world-leading ban on harmful single-use plastics will result in the estimated elimination of over 1.3 million tonnes of hard to recycle plastic waste and more than 22,000 tonnes of plastic pollution, which is equivalent to over a million garbage bags full of litter.

As the Govt remained steadfast in its commitments to demonstrate leadership and take strong action to reduce plastic pollution, protect biodiversity, and promote a healthy environment here at home and around the world.

The Government noted that this measure is an important contribution to Canada’s ongoing comprehensive agenda to address plastic waste and pollution.

Also puts Canada among world leaders in fighting plastic pollution and will help to meet commitments of the Ocean Plastics Charter and the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

The 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. After that, businesses will begin offering the sustainable solutions Canadians want, whether that’s paper straws or reusable bags.

*With these new regulations, we’re taking a historic step forward in reducing plastic pollution, and keeping our communities and the places we love clean," Guilbeault said.