Latest News
Single-use plastic items will be banned in Richmond beginning March 27.
Photo via pixabay.com
City takes a stand on single-use plastics
By Samuel Cheng
Published 11:23 PST, Fri February 18, 2022
—
Do you bring your own bags when you go grocery shopping? If not, then it is a good idea to start getting into the habit of doing so.
The City of Richmond is banning all single-use plastic items starting on March 27. This includes biodegradable and compostable plastics as well. It means that plastic checkout bags, plastic straws and foam food service ware including plates and containers will no longer be allowed.
The primary reason for the ban is to cut down on single-use plastic waste.
The plastic materials can take centuries to decompose, not to mention the damages they cause to our ecosystem. On a national scale, approximately 29,000 tonnes of plastic waste enters our environment annually.
Even reusable or recyclable plastic items are usually made from poor quality materials that have a finite number of uses and limited recyclable value, according to the city.
If you are a business owner, don’t panic just yet. This is a great time to start easing into the new plastic bylaw, as enforcement doesn’t begin until Sept. 27.
The six-month gap from March to September provides time for businesses to use up their existing stock. It also gives businesses the opportunity to identify and transition to alternative products in order to meet the new bylaw requirements.
Penalties could include ticket fines of $250 to $1,000. In addition, non-compliant businesses could be prosecuted with fines of up to $10,000 per occurrence, according to the city.
There are several methods consumers can use to uphold the requirements of the bylaw. First off, bring reusable bags to the grocery store. Or bring your own reusable straw the next time you order drinks.
By meeting these requirements, we are all working together to help preserve our environment. Together we can cut down on the unnecessary plastic waste that goes into our landfill every year. With reduced plastic junk, we can start building a cleaner, greener and more sustainable world for future generations.
2 Hours of free financial consulting
Jai Xin Planning Ltd.
C$120.00 C$0.00
Use any of our home staging service and get a second month rental for free!
MiiX Interiors
C$500.00 C$0.00
Get 10% off any order
Phantom Screens Lower Mainland
C$200.00 C$180.00
