Single Use Plastics Ban - Federal Regulations
Single Use Plastics Ban - Federal Regulations
On December 20th, the first phase of the federal single-use plastics ban came into effect, which impacts the manufacturing and importing of certain plastic products – plastic checkout bags, plastic cutlery, stir sticks, foodservice containers and straws.
This impacts the manufacture and import of these products at this time, not the sale of them or the use by retailers or businesses. On December 20, 2023, the sale and use/distribution to customers of most of these items will then be prohibited.
We anticipate further regulations from the province which would phase out use of select single use items over the coming year or two.
Businesses have time to work through existing stock of these products, but should be exploring replacing plastics they use with non-plastic options, or with items made from allowable, recyclable alternatives, before these items are fully prohibited.
The Langley Chamber will be engaging with all levels of government on this issue, and will continue to provide guidance and help to businesses with this transition.
More Resources:
Fact Sheet on Federal Ban
Guidance for Selecting Alternatives
Single Use Plastics Reduction Strategy (courtesy of Restaurants Canada)
Scope and Timeline of the Federal Regulations:
The federal ban prohibits the manufacture, import, and sale of 6 categories of single-use plastics:
- Checkout bags (Sale/Distribution To End December 20, 2023)
- designed to carry purchased goods from a business and typically given to a customer at the retail point of sale.
- Cutlery (Sale/Distribution To End December 20, 2023)
- Includes:
- Knives
- Forks
- Spoons
- Sporks
- Chopsticks
- Includes:
- Foodservice ware (Sale/Distribution To End December 20, 2023)
- Containers designed for serving or transporting food or beverages that are ready to be consumed, and that:
- Contains:
- expanded polystyrene foam
- extruded polystyrene foam
- polyvinyl chloride
- carbon black
- an oxo-degradable plastic
- And are one of the following items:
- clamshell containers
- lidded containers
- boxes
- cups
- plates
- bowls
- Ring carriers flexible and designed to surround beverage containers in order to carry them together. (Sale/Distribution To End June 20, 2024)
- Stir sticks designed to stir or mix beverages, or to prevent a beverage from spilling from the lid of its container. (Sale/Distribution To End December 20, 2023)
- Straws
- Include:
- straight drinking straws (Sale/Distribution To End December 20, 2023)
- flexible straws, which have a corrugated section that allows the straw to bend and are packaged with beverage containers (juice boxes and pouches) - (Sale/Distribution To End June 20, 2024)
- Include: