A public hearing for Edmonton’s proposed single-use plastics bylaw is expected to take place on Oct. 4.
The hearing was on the agenda for Tuesday but extensive discussion of other issues prompted Mayor Amarjeet Sohi to suggest at about 9 p.m. that the hearing on single-use plastics was unlikely to be able to occur that night.
When the hearing takes place next month, city councillors will hear from residents, businesses, environmental advocates and other stakeholders about changing rules regarding single-use items like plastic bags, plastic utensils and Styrofoam takeout containers.
If passed, the bylaw would include:
- a ban on single-use plastic bags
- fees for buying paper bags (15 cents to 25 cents) and reusable bags ($1 to $2)
- single-use accessories (straws, utensils, condiment packs, etc.) not provided unless specifically requested
- a ban on Styrofoam cups and containers
- a requirement that establishments provide reusable to-stay drink container options
If passed, there would be time to transition. The bylaw would take effect July 1, 2023. The federal ban on the sale of single-use plastics starts December 2023.
Fines for breaking the rules could start at $500. Exceptions are also being considered.
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Waste Free Edmonton has been calling for this bylaw since 2018. Its membership believes this legislative change wouldn’t inconvenience people much but would have a huge environmental impact.
“The city estimates that there’s 450 million single-use items disposed of every year and this bylaw would drastically cut that back,” said Waste Free Edmonton co-founder Sean Stepchuk.
“For example, for having a ban on plastic bags, there aren’t going to be any single-use plastic bags. And then, by having a fee on things like paper bags, that’s going to mean that people are really going to be incentivized to use their own reusable ones.
“If that’s enacted, it’s going to have a real and meaningful impact on single-use waste in Edmonton.”
Stepchuk said Waste Free Edmonton is “really happy” the city is making this a priority and hopes it’s just the first step. This bylaw, he added, really only targets the “low-hanging fruit” of waste reduction.
“Change is always difficult for people and for businesses, but the fact is that most of these are things other jurisdictions have been doing already and that people are ready to make the change.
“It’s not that difficult for someone to grab their own reusable bag. It’s not that difficult to have a business that, instead of automatically putting in a utensil pack and 10 things of condiments into a takeout order, they don’t put them in unless asked,” Stepchuk said.
“These are simple changes that will, quite frankly, save people money and more importantly, cut down on waste.”
In an effort to reduce garbage and change people’s habits, city administration is recommending council pass the proposed bylaw.
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