It is now official: Canada banned the import and manufacturing of single-use plastics..Plastic items covered in the ban include straws, grocery bags, knives, forks, spoons, cups, stir sticks, takeout containers, and any other single-use plastic products..No more red plastic cups to play flip cup or beer pong.. Justin Trudeau .Stores have one year to sell off their remaining stock before it becomes illegal to sell single-use plastics on Dec. 19, 2023..Canada will ban the export of single-use plastics by 2025..In June 2023, the plastic rings used on six-packs of canned drinks will also have an importing and manufacturing ban. In June 2024, it will be illegal to sell products with plastic rings..The government wants to give businesses time to transition to replacement products and get rid of their existing plastics inventory..The plan is to “provide businesses in Canada with enough time to transition and to deplete their existing stocks,” said a government statement..The Trudeau government expects banning single-use plastics will eliminate a million garbage bags worth of pollution and 1.3 million tonnes of “difficult-to-recycle” plastic waste..According to Environment Canada, each year Canadians throw out more than three million tonnes of single-use plastics and less than 10% gets recycled. The remainder ends up in landfills, the environment, or waste-to-energy facilities..In 2019, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau promised to ban single-use plastics by 2021. However, the regulatory framework took an extra year to plan..This is the Trudeau government’s first step to eliminating plastic. The goal is to achieve “zero plastic waste by 2030.”.The use of plastic straws and bags decreased as some stores and restaurants already switched to paper or reusable metal straws and eliminated plastic bags..The restaurant industry is moving to sustainable alternatives, such as wooden cutlery, bamboo products, and thicker paper products.
