Canada’s ban on certain harmful single-use plastics starts to take effect

Effective December 20, 2022, the manufacture and import for sale of the following harmful single-use plastics in Canada will be prohibited:

1. checkout bags
2. cutlery
3. foodservice ware made from, or containing, problematic plastics that are hard to recycle
4. stir sticks
5. straws (with some exceptions)

The ban on the manufacture and import of ring carriers will enter into force in June 2023. The six categories of single-use plastic items in the Regulations were specifically selected because they are commonly found in the environment, are harmful to wildlife and their habitat, are difficult to recycle, and have readily available alternatives.

To provide businesses in Canada with enough time to transition and to deplete their existing stocks, the Regulations will enter into force through a phased approach:

1. Starting on December 20, 2022, with the prohibition on the import and manufacture of single-use plastic checkout bags, cutlery, foodservice ware made from problematic plastics, stir sticks, and straws; the prohibition on the sale of these items will come into force in December 2023.
2. In June 2023, the manufacture and import of ring carriers in Canada will be prohibited and the sale of these items will be prohibited in June 2024.
3. As of June 2024, the sale of flexible straws packaged with beverage containers will be prohibited.
4. By the end of 2025 the Government will also prohibit the manufacture and import for the purposes of export of all six categories of single-use plastics, making Canada the first among peer jurisdictions to do so internationally. These phased timelines recognize the complexity associated with retooling manufacturing lines for these products.

Source: Water Canada