The Canadian government has announced that it will ban “harmful single-use plastics as early as 2021”.
The Canadian Prime Minister, Justin Trudeau, has announced that the Government of Canada is taking additional steps to reduce Canada’s plastic waste, support innovation, and promote the use of affordable and safe alternatives.
Working with governments and businesses across Canada, the Government of Canada will ban harmful single-use plastics as early as 2021 (such as plastic bags, straws, cutlery, plates, and stir sticks) where supported by scientific evidence and warranted, and take other steps to reduce pollution from plastic products and packaging.
It will also work with provinces and territories to introduce standards and targets for companies that manufacture plastic products or sell items with plastic packaging so they become responsible for their plastic waste.
“These measures will be grounded in scientific evidence and will align, where appropriate, with similar actions being taken in the European Union and other countries,” the Canadian government said in a statement.
“They will also support the Canadian Council of Ministers of the Environment’s development of an action plan to implement the Canada-wide Strategy on Zero Plastic Waste.”
We have a responsibility to work with our partners to reduce plastic pollution, protect the environment, and create jobs and grow our economy.
It says by improving how the country manages plastic waste and investing in innovative solutions, it can reduce 1.8 million tonnes of carbon pollution, generate billions of dollars in revenue, and create approximately 42,000 jobs.
Less than 10% of plastic used in Canada gets recycled, according to the Canadian government, which says that without a change in course, Canadians will throw away an estimated $11 billion worth of plastic materials each year by 2030.
Justin Trudeau, Prime Minister of Canada, said: “Canadians know first-hand the impacts of plastic pollution, and are tired of seeing their beaches, parks, streets, and shorelines littered with plastic waste.
“We have a responsibility to work with our partners to reduce plastic pollution, protect the environment, and create jobs and grow our economy. We owe it to our kids to keep the environment clean and safe for generations to come.”
Canada has the longest coastline in the world and one-quarter of the world’s freshwater.
The news comes after The Philippines returns 1,500 tonnes of waste to Canada.