Close X
Sunday, November 17, 2024
ADVT 
National

B.C. phasing out single-use plastics, giving businesses six months to use inventory

Darpan News Desk The Canadian Press, 14 Jul, 2023 04:00 PM
  • B.C. phasing out single-use plastics, giving businesses six months to use inventory

British Columbia is phasing out the use of a range of single-use and disposable plastics with businesses being given six months to use up their inventory.

Environment Minister George Heyman says the new regulation comes into effect in December and will cover plastic shopping bags, disposable food service accessories, degradable plastics and any packaging made of hard-to-recycle plastics.

The move will coincide with a federal government ban on the sales of plastic checkout bags, drinking straws, cutlery, stir sticks, ring carriers and food ware made from plastics.

Imports of these items were banned by the federal government in December last year.

Heyman says the province is also investing in technologies to turn used plastic into new products, which he says can create a healthier and more resilient environment for all British Columbians.

He says the province has already seen a number of business owners making shifts to reduce the use of plastic items, including restaurants using paper straws.

Heyman says the Single-Use and Plastic Waste Prevention Regulation is part of the government’s broader CleanBC Plastics Action Plan, which includes a range of actions to reduce plastic waste. 

"Focusing on hard-to-recycle single-use and plastic items will help move B.C. to a circular economy where waste and pollution are eliminated, products and materials are kept in the economy through reuse, and natural systems are regenerated," Heyman said in a statement.

MORE National ARTICLES

Police-reported hate crimes rise again: StatCan

Police-reported hate crimes rise again: StatCan
It says the victims and those accused of reported hate crimes are most often men and boys. In British Columbia, religious hate crime reports more than doubled to 150 in 2021, while in Alberta they tripled to 91 incidents.

Police-reported hate crimes rise again: StatCan

Liberals to create corporate ownership registry

Liberals to create corporate ownership registry
Industry Minister François-Philippe Champagne has tabled legislation that would create a corporate beneficial ownership registry. The prospective registry is expected to have the goal of making it easier to identify owners of corporations who launder money, commit financial crimes or evade taxes.    

Liberals to create corporate ownership registry

Emergency visa for Ukrainians extended by months

Emergency visa for Ukrainians extended by months
The deadline to apply for a three-year emergency visa was originally March 31, but Ukrainians and their family members will now be able to apply until July 15. After that date, Ukrainians will still be able to apply for traditional work, study and visitor permits to come to Canada after the application period expires, but they will be charged the usual fees associated with those applications.    

Emergency visa for Ukrainians extended by months

Security tightens as Biden set to arrive in Ottawa

Security tightens as Biden set to arrive in Ottawa
In downtown Ottawa Wednesday, about 20 police vehicles circled the area as U.S. flags were strung up near Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's official office and the main street in front of Parliament Hill. Meanwhile, workers were busy installing fences to prepare for the visit.    

Security tightens as Biden set to arrive in Ottawa

Judge awards legal costs to former Vancouver mayor

Judge awards legal costs to former Vancouver mayor
B.C. Supreme Court Justice Wendy Baker's judgment says the defamation claims had "substantial merit," but found Stewart's statements were not malicious and were fair game because the issues were in the public interest and had been widely reported.

Judge awards legal costs to former Vancouver mayor

Ottawa to spend $1.5B on drugs for rare diseases

Ottawa to spend $1.5B on drugs for rare diseases
The federal government says it will spend up to $1.5 billion over the next three years to improve access to drugs used to treat rare diseases. Health Minister Jean-Yves Duclos says up to $1.4 billion of that money will be used to help provinces and territories expand coverage of new and existing drugs that treat rare diseases.

Ottawa to spend $1.5B on drugs for rare diseases