Canada to ban a number of disposable plastic items by 2021

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced this week that he intends to reduce the amount of plastic waste produced by the country and to do so should ban a number of disposable utensils such as bags, cutlery and straw from 2021. The move, according to Trudeau, also aims to reduce the amount of plastic particles that will end up in the oceans - and was certainly motivated by the problems Canada has been facing with the waste it produces.

Just to give you an idea, according to Reuters, Canadians recycle less than 10 percent of the country's plastics and by 2030 will have thrown away the equivalent of $ 8.3 billion. billion) a year in materials. In addition, Canada has recently been embroiled in confusion with the governments of Malaysia and the Philippines, which have been refusing to receive ships loaded with thousands of tons of rubbish that have been sent there.

More responsibility

The European Parliament also approved similar measures this year - banning a variety of disposable plastic products. But in Canada, the entry into force of the new standards must be gradual so that the authorities can define exactly what items should be banned, and so that the industries that rely heavily on them have time to look for alternatives and adapt.

(Reproduction / CBC News)

Among the businesses that should feel the most are those in the food sector, especially cafeterias, restaurants and coffee shops, since the use of plastic utensils is huge and the cost of the same items produced in cardboard and other recyclable or biodegradable materials is higher. . This means that consumers' pockets will definitely feel the changes.

The industry will also have to make adjustments, as the Canadian government may require some of its production to be based on recycled products and that there is a greater responsibility for waste produced in the country - following a trend that is being observed every time. more countries in the world.