Explainer: B.C. rolls out new plastic regulations
Fees will be charged for shopping bags, and certain takeout containers will be banned per the new regulations
The provincial government rolled out new plastic regulations, which took effect on July 15. (Suneet Gill)
Under the new phase of the CleanBC Plastics Action Plan, plastic shopping bags, oxo-degradable plastic packaging, and single-use products will no longer be available at stores or sold in the province. While fees will be charged for new shopping bags, plastic and Styrofoam takeout containers have no longer been available at restaurants since July 15.
The new regulations are part of the province’s single-use plastics ban, which went into effect in December. Items banned last year include plastic utensils such as spoons, forks, knives, chopsticks, stir sticks, drink splash plugs, and straws — except when needed for accessibility — in addition to pre-packed bundled food-service accessories.
Last month’s changes are part of the next step in the framework for the Single-Use and Plastic Waste Prevention Regulation announced in July last year.
The changes aim to limit harmful waste in landfills and reduce oxo-degradable plastics which consist of chemicals that disintegrate into microplastics and lead to pollution. The plan also works to phase out the use of temporary and disposable plastics for durable and reusable items.
More than 340,000 tonnes of plastic items and packaging were disposed of in B.C. in 2019, according to a provincial government news release.
Under the regulations, business owners are prohibited from distributing or selling packaging or a single-use product that might entirely or partly consist of oxo-degradable material.
For shopping bags, business owners can only sell bags if they are reusable or recyclable, with the customer paying at least $2 for a reusable bag and $0.25 for a recycled bag. The owners are also required to include the amount charged for the bag on the receipt given to the customer.
The regulations for food-service ware — which means a container or packaging such as a bowl, box or carton, cup, lidded container, plate, platter, tray, and film wrap — prohibit any material that consists of biodegradable or compostable plastic, polystyrene foam, polyvinyl chloride (PVC), and polyvinylidene chloride (PVDC).
Food service providers are also required to restrict the distribution or sale of single-use containers that are — in whole or part — composed of plastic.
While more regulations will be gradually rolled out until July 2030, PVC film wrap and polystyrene foam trays will be banned by 2028 and 2030 respectively. A ban will also be placed on foam containers needed for raw meat by 2030 after it was pushed back to allow businesses time to adapt to the changes.
For more information on the new plastic regulations, visit bitly.cx/dLNiV.
