The Canadian government is finally taking action for our planet and the compost revolution has begun! In this post, you will get a quick rundown on what the 2021 single-use plastic ban means for you.
Last week, the government of Canada put out a comprehensive plan to achieve #ZeroPlasticWaste by 2030 a Canada-wide strategy that was first introduced in 2018. You can read more about that here.
Jonathan Wilkinson tweeted a video about the specifics, outlining a walk-through of which single-use plastics that will be banned are.
Here's the list:
Grocery checkout bags
Straws
Stir sticks
Six-pack rings
Plastic cutlery
Food takeout containers made from hard-to-recycle plastics (like black plastic packaging)
The federal government also has a target of at least 50% recycled content in plastic products by 2030.
Why is this important for Canadians?
According to the federal government, Canadians throw away three million tonnes of plastic waste a year, and about one-third of the plastics used in Canada are for single-use or short-lived products and packaging, including up to 15 billion plastic bags used every year and close to 57 million straws used daily.
The plastics ban will make an impact on the economy By eliminating single-use plastics and changing how we manage our waste, the government is taking action for Canadians to become environmental leaders as well as boost our economy. Minister Wilkinson described that;
This way both people and the planet benefit from the #zeroplasticwaste plan! How Greenlid is Taking Action The Minister of Environment and Climate Change acknowledged in the announcement how in the current state it is difficult for Canadians to choose sustainable options.
"It is presently hard to come back from the grocery store without a single-use plastic item ... You use it, you throw it in the recycling bin, and more often than not, it ends up in a landfill.”
By creating initiatives like the one between Longo’s Grocery Stores and Greenlid to replace all plastic cutlery from store shelves with sustainably grown compostable birch cutlery. Compostable products are now becoming available at major retailers to help Canadians live sustainably and navigate the single-use plastic bans.
At Greenlid we know that life is hectic and sometimes the sustainable choice isn’t always available. So we are working hard to help Canadian families and Canadian retailers replace their single-use plastics with sustainably made compostable ones. We ensure our tableware, cups, cutlery, coolers, and straws are of the highest quality and best for the environment so you don’t have to choose between the environment and your budget.
So look for compostable alternatives and make this upcoming single-use plastics ban an easy step on the path to a healthy planet!