Ontario, Canada, Considers Single-use Plastics Ban, Bottle Bill

In an effort to ramp up its waste diversion and recycling efforts, Ontario, Canada, is considering a ban on single-use plastics and a bottle bill.

The diversion rate of the province has stalled at about 30 percent for the past 15 years, and its Blue Box recycling program recovers only about 28 percent of all plastic packaging in the province.

Banning single-use plastics and launching a bottle deposit return system could help the province improve its diversion rate, according to a discussion paper recently released by the government.

Canadian Press has more information:

Ontario is weighing a ban on single-use plastics as part of a broader strategy to send less waste to landfills.

Nearly a tonne of waste per person in Ontario is generated each year, and the rate at which that waste is diverted away from landfills — through recycling and composting, for example — has stalled around 30 per cent for the past 15 years.

The government recently released a discussion paper on reducing litter and waste, and is asking the public and stakeholders for input on how to best address the problem. One question it asks is if a ban on single-use plastics would be effective in reducing plastic waste.

Read the full story here.