Canada Declares War on Single-use Plastics
The country will put measure in place to ban bags, cutlery, stirring sticks and straws by 2021.
Jun 12, 2019
OTTAWA, Canada – Canada is looking to cut down on usage of single-use plastic items within two years in an effort to slash plastic trash that is harming the nation’s ecosystems, CNN reports. Included among the banned items will be bags, cutlery, stirring sticks and straws.
Calling it “a problem we simply can't ignore,” Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said the measure is designed to help the more than 1 million birds and 100,000 sea mammals across the globe that become injured or die from ingesting plastic. Trudeau said the government would partner with companies that make or use plastic products on waste reduction and recycling.
“Plastic waste ends up in our landfills and incinerators, litters our parks and beaches, and pollutes our rivers, lakes, and oceans, entangling and killing turtles, fish, and marine mammals,” Trudeau said. “Less than 10% of plastic used in Canada gets recycled. Without a change in course, Canadians will throw away an estimated $11 billion worth of plastic materials each year by 2030.”
Plastics has become a hot topic among retailers, consumer products companies, environmentalists and governments. In March, the European Parliament approved a similar prohibition, with an eye to recycle 90% of plastic beverage bottles by 2029. Last month, the United Kingdom passed a plastic ban by 2020.
Meanwhile, CPG companies have started testing reusable containers, and leading food companies have united to tackle plastic waste reduction. An April Convenience Matters podcast touched on the importance of plastic for food safety and convenience in “Addressing the Anti-Plastics Movement.”
Global
