In fall of 2020, the Canadian Government released their plan to ban all single use plastics from the consumer market by 2022. With the rise in plastic waste and use, this ban of single use plastics is an incredible step forward for the environment. Even despite the pandemic, the Government of Canada has not deviated from this timeline or goal and is moving forward with the 2022 target. But what does banning single use plastics mean for the consumer market and for Canadians? Let’s discuss it.
Drivers Behind The Ban
Although this may be obvious, the main driving reason behind the ban of single use plastics is to further protect the environment. Plastics impact the environment in a variety ways throughout their lifecycle, from their production to their disposal. According to the Canadian Government, Canadians throw away 3 million tonnes of plastic waste each year. Of this 3 million tonnes, only 9% is recycled, with the rest ending up in landfills and into the natural environment (water ways, littering, etc). Given this, reducing plastic in any capacity is a significant environmental initiative. However, this ban of single use plastics is actually a part of a larger goal that the Canadian Government has set out, which is to have zero plastic waste by 2030. With this timeline in mind, the government has chosen to specifically focus on single use plastics first.
The decision to target single use plastics first in the Government’s goal to achieve zero plastic waste is largely due to 4 main factors:
- These plastics are highly harmful to the environment because of their production processes. They utilize a lot of natural resources to produce.
- These plastics almost always end up in the landfill (or worse, the natural environment) because of their lack of recyclability.
- They are mass produced plastics that are over consumed. And;
- There are sustainable alternatives already readily available
These 4 factors make these plastics low hanging fruit, so to speak. Given this, single use plastics are the perfect candidate to ban and initiate the goal of zero plastic waste by 2030.
What is Being Banned?
There are specifically 6 single use plastics that the Canadian government is targeting to be banned. These are:
- Plastic straws
Did you know that over 57 million plastic straws are used a day in Canada? That number shocked me and really solidifies the need to move to a more sustainable alternative. You have probably already noticed (at least I certainly have) that a lot of restaurants and fast food establishments have moved from plastic to paper straws. Although it is unknown if they are doing this willingly or just altering to please government regulations, it is great to see that there is change being made.
- Plastic stir sticks
Although not readily seen or used, the alternative to plastic stir sticks is generally wooden sticks. The wooden sticks are compostable after their use, making them an easy sustainable alternative to use to stir coffee or other liquids.
- 6-pack plastic rings
With alternatives readily available, such as paper, these rings are no longer necessary. When the plastic rings end up in waterways or are littered elsewhere, they are not only contributing to microplastics in our water but also become a hazard to wildlife.
- Plastic cutlery
As with the other plastics on this list, plastic cutlery is just not necessary anymore with such great sustainable alternatives. Replacements for cutlery are not just limited to wood (which are compostable), as there are compostable plastics that have entered the marketplace as well. Polylactic Acid (PLA plastics) plastics are derived from sugars found in plants such as corn or sugarcane. These PLA plastics are sustainable and compostable, making them a great alternative to regular unrecyclable plastics.
- Plastic grocery bags
We have all fallen victim to forgetting our reusable bags at home or in the car and having to purchase plastic bags from our local grocery store. You may have noticed a few of the major grocery chains are phasing out plastic bags (i.e Sobeys) and switching to paper or a biodegradable alternative. It is estimated that over 15 billion bags are used every year in Canada, so this change will be impactful.
- Plastic take-out containers
Although I am pleased that the government is forcing companies to ban other single use plastics, this is my favourite one because I find it the most irritating. When companies use plastic containers for their take out, I feel compelled to properly recycle it (although the plastics that are used for these types of containers are generally unrecyclable), which requires me to clean it out and ensure it’s properly sorted. If a restaurant used paper take out containers (which I have to assume are cheaper), I can just simply toss it into the composting stream, with little thought or regard to its recyclability. So not only will banning plastic take out containers benefit the environment but they will benefit humans too, making disposal easier for everyone.
What Does This Mean For Canadians?
For all Canadians, this change will take some getting used to. We will no longer have the luxury of cheap plastic bags when we forget ours in the car and we will all have to adjust to our paper straw getting a little soggy in our fountain pop. It will take a little bit of compromise from everyone to truly see the environmental benefits that this single use plastic ban will bring, but it will be worth it.
For business owners, this shift could possibly impact some aspects of the company depending on your industry. Mostly, this will impact purchasing departments, as sustainable alternatives for everyday items will need to be found. Generally, any business in the restaurant, fast food or grocery industry will be impacted in some way. However, a lot of these sustainable alternatives are actually cheaper than their plastic counterparts, which can make the transition a bit easier to adjust to.
Discussion
There are over 35 other countries around the world that have already taken on the ban of single use plastics. Following their lead, Canada is making these changes to benefit the environment and save natural resources. The less plastic that is produced means that there is less plastic that will end up in the landfill or in our natural environment. This is a big step forward for Canada and I look forward to future initiatives as the government makes their way to their 2030 goal of zero plastic waste.