Feds announce next steps in plan to achieve zero plastic waste by 2030

Plastic straws , on the list of potentially banned single use plastic products. PHOTO: Pixabay

GATINEAU, Que. — On Oct. 7, the federal government announced the next steps in its plan to achieve zero plastic waste by 2030.

“Our government is introducing a comprehensive plan to get to zero plastic waste,” said Jonathan Wilkinson, minister of Environment and Climate Change, in a prepared statement. “Our plan embraces the transition towards a circular economy, recycled-content standards and targets for recycling rates. We also intend to ban plastic bags, straws, stir sticks, six-pack rings, cutlery and hard-to-recycle take out containers. These items are harmful to our environment and their value is lost from the economy when they are tossed in the trash. This proposed ban will help drive innovation across the country as new and easier to recycle items take their place in our economy.”

According to a statement, a key part of the plan is a ban on harmful single-use plastic items. The six items the government proposes to ban are: plastic checkout bags, straws, stir sticks, six-pack rings, cutlery, and food ware made from hard-to-recycle plastics.

This list of items was published in the discussion paper Proposed Integrated Management Approach to Plastic Products to Prevent Waste and Pollution. The government is proposing to establish recycled content requirements in products and packaging.

Wilkinson also announced over $2 million through the Zero Plastic Waste Initiative for 14 new Canadian-led plastic reduction initiatives. These projects are led by communities, organizations and institutions, and will promote the development of new solutions to prevent, capture and remove plastic pollution from the environment.