The District of North Vancouver is the latest municipality looking to regulate single-use plastics.
During a council meeting on Monday, May 6th, Councillor Megan Curren introduced a recommendation to regulate single-use items at the municipal level.
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“Single-use items increase waste and create a negative financial and environmental impact to
municipal sewers, storm drains, streets, parks, beaches and waterways” writes Curren.
“To date there has been no definitive policy to reduce or regulate single-use items on a regional, provincial or federal level. Policy delays are compounding the single-use/plastic crisis”.
Her report also mentions that “a strategy that includes the entire North Shore would be most impactful”. Curren says that Squamish Nation, Tsleil-Waututh Nation, the District of West Vancouver and the City of North Vancouver would be invited to participate in a North Shore wide strategy.
Furthermore, the Councillor listed recent action taken on a local government level:
- Victoria, BC banned plastic shopping bags (2018)
- Montreal banned plastic shopping bags (2018)
- Squamish voted to ban plastic straws and plastic shopping bags (2019)
- Salmon Arm voted to ban plastic shopping bags (2018)
- Qualicum Beach voted to ban plastic shopping bags and plastic straws (2019)
- Tofino voted to ban plastic shopping bags and plastic straws (2019)
- Vancouver voted to ban multiple single-use items (2018)
Back in 2018, the City of Vancouver approved a ban on single-use straws as well as polystyrene foam cups and containers. The move is part of a comprehensive zero waste strategic plan: the Zero Waste 2040 Strategic Plan.
The ban was originally supposed to come into effect on June 1st, 2019, but has been delayed until early 2020.
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