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.
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.
The report also recommends introducing organics collection to schools not currently receiving city collection services, beginning in 2026.
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.