The Canadian government has announced it will ban single-use plastics as soon as 2021.
According to the CBC‘s government source, things like straws, drink stirrers, plates, cutlery and balloon sticks are on the lengthy list of items that will be banned — though the government has given itself more time to examine evidence to identify the most harmful single-use plastic products.
A Cleaner Future
Prime minister Justin Trudeau spoke of the negative impacts of leaving plastics in nature and the importance of the consumer to make “smarter choices”
“To be honest, as a dad, it’s tough to explain to my kids,” he said during Monday morning’s announcement. “That’s the fate of our kids if we don’t act.”
“We have worked with provinces and territories to develop the strategy on zero plastic waste and we are also working with the private sector” told the Prime Minister.
Plastic-free Canada
Trudeau is planning to hold “the Coca-Colas and Unilevers of the world” responsible for the entire life cycle of all the products they produce, he said, rather than making it more challenging for much smaller businesses.
According to an official statement, less than 11 percent of plastic used in Canada gets recycled. Canadians throw more than 34 million plastic bags away every day.
The news comes after the Philippines sent back some 1,500 tons of rotting garbage back to Canada. The Duterte government claimed Canada shipped the waste illegally to Manila.
