The British Columbia government said plastic shopping bags will no longer be offered at stores and oxo-degradable plastic packaging and single-use items will not be sold in the province effective Monday. By making these changes, plastic waste will be kept out of landfills and there will be a reduction in oxo-degradable plastics, which contain chemicals that can break down into microplastics and pollute the environment, according to a Monday press release. The BC government pointed out more than 340,000 tonnes of plastic items and packaging were disposed of in the province in 2019. This equates to more than 65 kilograms of plastic waste per person sent to the landfill in one year. Phasing out single-use items is part of the CleanBC Plastics Action Plan to help it move away from temporary and disposable plastics to durable and reusable products.These changes were the next step in the Single-Use and Plastic Waste Prevention Regulation announced in 2023. This regulation limits the usage of plastic shopping bags, disposable food service items, oxo-degradable plastics, and food service packaging. To better support businesses and industries to source alternative products, the BC government said it would be making changes until July 2030.Most British Columbians support the Canadian government’s ban on the import and manufacture of single-use plastics, according to a 2023 poll conducted by Research Co. READ MORE: Poll shows most British Columbians support banning single-use plasticsResearch Co. found 80% of British Columbians support the move to ban items such as shopping bags, straws, six-pack rings, plastic cutlery, and more.Municipalities in BC can implement bans on single-use plastics without provincial approval, and several municipalities have implemented their own guidelines for specific items.
