Canada Single-Use Plastics Prohibition

On June 22, 2022, the Government of Canada published the Single-use Plastics Prohibition Regulations, in the Canada Gazette, Part II. The Regulations prohibit the manufacture, import, sale and eventually export of six categories of single-use plastic (SUP) items. The categories of items are checkout bags, cutlery, foodservice ware made from or containing problematic plastics, ring carriers, stir sticks and straws. To help businesses and organizations transition away from these products, the Government of Canada has developed this guidance document outlining important considerations to take into account when selecting alternative products or systems that prevent plastic pollution and help Canada transition to a circular economy.

Summary of Changes

• Single-Use Plastic Ring Carriers
o Prohibition: Manufacturing, Import and Sale
• Single-Use Plastic Straws
o Prohibition: Manufacturing, Import and Sale
o Exceptions: Sale in Certain Settings, Business to Business Sales, Retail Sales, Package with Beverage Container, Sale in Care Institutions
• Other Plastic Manufactured Items
o A person must not manufacture or import single-use plastic checkout bags, single-use plastic cutlery, single-use plastic foodservice ware or single-use plastic stir sticks.
o A person must not sell single-use plastic checkout bags, single-use plastic cutlery, single-use plastic foodservice ware or single-use plastic stir sticks.

Enforcement Dates

• Single-Use Plastic Checkout Bags
o Manufacture and Import – December 20, 2022
o Sale – December 20, 2023
o Export – December 20, 2025
• Single-Use Plastic Cutlery
o Manufacture and Import – December 20, 2022
o Sale – December 20, 2023
o Export – December 20, 2025
• Single-Use Plastic Foodservice Ware
o Manufacture and Import – December 20, 2022
o Sale – December 20, 2023
o Export – December 20, 2025
• Single-Use Plastic Ring Carriers
o Manufacture and Import – June 20, 2023
o Sale – June 20, 2024
o Export – December 20, 2025
• Single-Use Plastic Stir Sticks
o Manufacture and Import – December 20, 2022
o Sale – December 20, 2023
o Export – December 20, 2025
• Single-Use Plastic Straws
o Manufacture and Import – December 20, 2022
o Sale – December 20, 2023
o Sale of flexible straws packaged together with a beverage container - June 20, 2024
o Export* – December 20, 2025

*After this date the export of flexible straws would need to adhere to the conditions for sale as described in section B.6.4.

Background

Current scientific evidence indicates that macroplastic pollution poses an ecological hazard, including physical harm, to some animals and their habitat. Canadians use substantial quantities of single-use plastic manufactured items (SUPs) every year. These SUPs are designed to be discarded once their single use has been fulfilled. A share of that waste becomes plastic pollution. Action is needed to restrict or eliminate SUPs that pose a threat of harm to the environment.

The Regulations are expected to result in a net decrease of approximately 1.3 million tons in plastic waste over the 10-year analytical period (2023 to 2032), which represents around 3% of the total estimated plastic waste generated in Canada each year. They are also expected to result in a decrease of around 22,000 tons in plastic pollution over the same period, which represents around 5% of the total plastic pollution generated each year. The Regulations are expected to result in $2 billion in present value costs over the analytical period, stemming mainly from substitution costs. While these costs are significant in aggregate, they will be widely dispersed across Canadian consumers (around $5 per capita per year). The prohibitions on manufacture of the six categories of SUPs are also expected to result in $176 million in costs to Canadian manufacturers over the analytical period.

By reducing plastic pollution, the Regulations are also expected to reduce the risk of ecological harm to wildlife and their habitats, as well as increase Canadians’ enjoyment of nature. While these benefits are not monetized in this analysis, they are expected to be significant, given the harms associated with plastic pollution. The analysis did monetize benefits associated with avoided costs for terrestrial litter clean-up and avoided marine plastic pollution ($616 million in present value monetized benefits over the analytical period).

Link to the regulation and guidance material:
• Regulation: https://www.gazette.gc.ca/rp-pr/p2/2022/2022-06-22/html/sor-dors138-eng.html
• Technical Guidelines for the Single-use Plastics Prohibition Regulations: https://www.canada.ca/en/environment-climate-change/services/managing-reducing-waste/reduce-plastic-waste/single-use-plastic-technical-guidance.html
• Guidance for selecting alternatives to the single-use plastics as defined in the Regulations: https://www.canada.ca/en/environment-climate-change/services/managing-reducing-waste/reduce-plastic-waste/single-use-plastic-guidance.html

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