Canada on Monday banned the manufacture and import of “hazardous disposable plastics” since December to limit plastic waste and contamination.
The new guide prohibits plastic bags, cutlery, food containers, ring containers, sticks and straw, with a few exceptions.
Canada also bans the sale of disposable plastics, but not until December 2023, to give companies time to adapt. Canadians are also banned from exporting these products until the end of 2025.
“We have promised Canadians that we will ban disposable plastics,” Environment Minister Stephen Gilbo said. “By the end of the year, you will not be able to make or import this harmful plastic. Subsequently, companies will begin to offer sustainable solutions to Canadians, whether it be straw bags or reusable bags.
Health Minister Jean-Yves Duclos said the new regulations would “improve health outcomes for all Canadians.”
“These new regulations mark a change for Canada. “We are taking drastic measures to protect the environment, creating cleaner and healthier communities across the country,” Duklos added.
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau welcomed the new regulations and cited the impact of the ban on waste reduction.
“Over the next 10 years, this ban will lead to the removal of more than 1.3 million tons of plastic waste and more than 22,000 tons of pollution,” Trudeau tweeted.
Over the next 10 years, this ban will result in the removal of more than 1.3 million tons of plastic waste and more than 22,000 tons of plastic contamination. This is equivalent to a million trash cans full of garbage. More details here: https://t.co/wEUHNriWDM
– Justin Trudeau (@JustinTrudeau) June 20, 2022
The Canadian government says the country uses 15 billion plastic bags per year and nearly 16 million straws per day.
Earlier this month, the U.S. Department of the Interior announced that it would remove disposable plastics from public lands by 2032. “It will protect our natural environment and the communities around it.” Interior Minister Debbie Holland said.
Outlook’s Global Plastics Report, The Organization for Co-operation and Development, a group of developed countries, released in February, said single-use plastic bans and taxes in more than 120 countries would not reduce total pollution.
“Reducing plastic pollution requires international action and collaboration to reduce plastic production, including through innovation, better product design and development of environmental alternatives, as well as efforts to improve waste management and increase recycling, ”the report said.
The report also says that before the use of plastics dropped by 2.2% at the height of the pandemic, it recovered when economic activity resumed in 2021. At the same time, the group noted that the amount of waste, partly from food containers and masks.
According to the Organization for Co-operation and Development, only 9% of the world’s plastic waste was recycled in 2019. The United States is worse than the world average, with only 4% of plastic waste being recycled. recycle that year.
Source: Huffpost
I am David Wyatt, a professional writer and journalist for Buna Times. I specialize in the world section of news coverage, where I bring to light stories and issues that affect us globally. As a graduate of Journalism, I have always had the passion to spread knowledge through writing.