Guelph Could Ban Many Single-Use Plastics By March 2023

A report going to Guelph city council next month recommends banning many of the common single-use plastics by March 2023.Those items would include plastic shopping bags, including non-certified compostable bags and biodegradable bags, along with styrofoam cups and takeout containers.Plastic straws would also be banned for the most part but would be available for accessibility purposes for those who need them and exempt from care settings such as hospitals.Certified compostable plastic bags would also be exempt from the ban.For March 2024, the report recommends introducing a fee of at least $1 for reusable bags and 25 cents for disposable cups, while single-use utensils would only be offered by request. Story continues below advertisement As part of the plan, city staff also recommend scaling back the collection it does in the industrial, commercial and institutional sectors.Changes being proposed include limiting waste pickup to mixed-used buildings that have residential units and only servicing institutional facilities, such as churches and daycares, that are on a residential collection route.While it’s unclear how many businesses would be affected, if council approves these changes, staff would then work with customers to determine if they are eligible for waste collection by the city or if they need to make arrangements with the private sector. Trending Stories 2:06City of Vancouver stays the course on single use cup fee City of Vancouver stays the course on single use cup fee – Mar 3, 2022 The report also recommends introducing organics collection to schools not currently receiving city collection services, beginning in 2026. Story continues below advertisement The report, which can be found on the city’s website is being presented during a committee of the whole meeting on April 4.Any decisions made would then be finalized during the monthly city council meeting on April 25.On April 4, we will present two recommendations to Council based on feedback we received on the Solid Waste Management Master Plan. Please read our media release for more information. https://t.co/udO30zcl9P pic.twitter.com/YPhtOscYvm— City of Guelph (@cityofguelph) March 25, 2022 © 2022 Global News, a division of Corus Entertainment Inc.