Plastic straws

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  Council approves transition to federal and provincial single-use regulations

  Expand for details.

  Federal and provincial single-use regulations began on December 20, 2023. These regulations align with, and extend beyond, our single-use item by-laws.

  To avoid overlap and simplify compliance for businesses and non-profits, we will no longer regulate single-use items. The responsibility will now be handled by the federal and provincial governments. 

  We're removing our single-use item by-laws in 2 phases:

  • April 9, 2024: foam containers, plastic straws, single-use utensils and plastic shopping bags
  • July 15, 2024: paper and reusable shopping bags

  We will notify businesses, residents and other stakeholders in the coming weeks regarding the transition to federal and provincial single-use regulations, and how this change will affect them.

  Transitioning to the federal and provincial regulations is a significant achievement for us. We have led the development of comprehensive single-use regulations in Canada. Recognizing we can’t solve the problem of single-use waste and plastic pollution alone, Council and staff have advocated for these federal and provincial regulations.

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  Provincial regulations

  On December 6, 2023, the BC government announced it is phasing in the Single-Use and Plastic Waste Prevention Regulation External website, opens in new tab in stages:

  • December 20, 2023: Food service accessories like utensils, straws, stir sticks, cup lids and sleeves, condiments, napkins, wet wipes and garnishes
  • July 15, 2024: Shopping bags, food service ware (take-out containers) and oxo-degradable plastics
  • July 1, 2028: PVC film wrap
  • July 1, 2030: Polystyrene foam meat trays

  Learn how the Province is phasing in the BC regulation alongside the federal regulations PDF file (593 KB)

  Find more details and resources like guidance documents, posters, and a guide to acceptable alternatives External website, opens in new tab

  Federal regulations

  The Government of Canada enacted the Single-use Plastic Prohibition Regulations External website, opens in new tab to ban the sale and distribution of these single-use plastic items:

  • As of December 20, 2023: Shopping bags, cutlery, straws, stir sticks and take-out containers made from specific “problematic” plastics 
  • As of June 20, 2024: Ring carriers and flexible plastic straws attached to beverage containers

  On November 16, 2023, a federal court struck down the legal basis for these federal regulations. The federal government is appealing this ruling. The provincial regulations overlap with the federal regulations (except for ring carriers and plastic straws) and are not affected by the federal court ruling.

  For more details and resources like technical guidance and fact sheets, review the Government of Canada’s overview of the regulations. External website, opens in new tab

  Questions?

  • For help with provincial regulations, email Plastics@gov.bc.ca
  • For help with federal regulations, email PlastiquesUU-SUPlastics@ec.gc.ca

Complying with the by-law

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  By-law overview

  Effective Apr 22, 2020

  • Accessibility requirement:
    • Businesses, charities, and not-for-profits are required to stock flexible plastic straws, individually wrapped in paper, to ensure that customers who are unable to drink without a straw, or have difficulty drinking, can safely consume beverages and nutrition. 
    • Anyone who asks for a flexible plastic straw should receive one. People are not required, and should not be asked, to provide any medical information to prove their need. 
    • Flexible plastic straws must be stored behind a counter to save them for people who need them.”
  • Ban on all other plastic straws, including:
    • Plastic made from fossil fuel products
    • Plastic that is labeled or described as compostable, degradable
    • Plastic that is labeled or described as made from plants or other biological materials (example: corn, potatoes, sugarcane)
  • During COVID-19, charitable food services may continue to distribute single-use items with food or meals, but are expected to begin working towards complying with the by-laws as soon as it is possible for them.

  Review the by-law

  • By-law 12618 (amends By-law 4450 regarding plastic straws) PDF file (18 KB)
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  Who the by-law applies to

  All food vendors with a Vancouver business licence must comply with the plastic straw by-law.

  Food vendors are businesses, charities, and non-for-profits that:

  • Sell prepared food (meant to be eaten without further cooking), or;
  • Provide food for free or at low cost

  This includes, but is not limited to:

  • Arenas
  • Bakeries
  • Bars, lounges
  • Bed and breakfasts
  • Breweries
  • Cafés and tea shops
  • Caterers
  • Community centres
  • Concessions
  • Convenience stores
  • Delis
  • Drugstores
  • Food courts
  • Delivery services (that sell food)
  • Food manufacturers
  • Food retailers
  • Food trucks
  • Food vendors at festivals and events
  • Food wholesalers
  • Grocery stores
  • Halls
  • Limited service food establishments
  • Liquor establishments
  • Private schools
  • Market outlets
  • Not-for-profit corporations
  • Registered charities
  • Restaurants
  • Street food vendors
  • Theatres
  • Venues
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  Exemptions

  Hospitals and community care facilities

  The plastic straw by-law does not apply to food service to patients in hospitals or food service to residents of community care facilities.

  Important information The plastic straw by-law does apply to food vendors with a Vancouver business license whose premises are located in hospitals or community care facilities (example: cafeterias, cafes) that serve prepared food to customers. 

  Drink boxes and pouches

  The by-law does not apply to plastic straws attached to drink boxes and drink pouches. 

  Selling packages of plastic straws

  Retailers are still permitted to sell packages of at least 20 straws sold for personal use.

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  What is banned

  Banned straws include those made of:

  • Plastics made wholly from fossil fuel products, such as polypropylene (other than flexible plastic straws individually wrapped in paper)
  • Plastics made from plants or other biological materials (bio-based plastics), like corn, potatoes, and sugar cane.
  • Compostable plastics
  • Biodegradable plastics
  • Oxo-degradable plastics
  • Photodegradable plastics
  • PLA (polylactic acid)
  • Plastics mixed with plant fibres or other materials, like sugar cane
  • Paper straws lined with any type of plastic
  • Bioplastics

  Important information None of the materials listed above are accepted in the Green Bin organics program.

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  Suggested alternatives: what to choose instead

  We encourage you to source reusable alternatives or single-use straws that can be composted in our Green Bin organics program. 

  Alternatives that can be composted in our Green Bin organics program

  • Paper straws that are not lined with any type of plastic
  • Pasta straws (however, may be an allergen)
  • Rice and tapioca straws (however, may be an allergen)
  • Straws made of grain stalks like hay and rye
  • Straws made from pressed leaves
  • Bamboo straws made of real, whole bamboo wood

  Reusable Straws

  If you’re considering using reusable straws, work with Vancouver Coastal Health to ensure you have systems in place to properly wash and sanitize them.

  Review suggested alternatives:

  • English PDF file (898 KB)
  • 繁體中文 PDF file (1.4 MB)
  • 简体中文 PDF file (1.5 MB)
  • ਪੰਜਾਬੀ PDF file (1.7 MB)
  • Tagalog PDF file (1.8 MB)
  • Tiếng Việt PDF file (2 MB)
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  Avoid compostable and degradable plastics

  Compostable and degradable plastic straws are included in the plastic straw ban and are not allowed. 

  You might be surprised to find out what happens to these items after your customers are done with them.

  Fact 1

  Plastic that is labeled or described as compostable, degradable (example: biodegradable, oxodegradable, photodegradable), bioplastic, or made from plants or other biological materials:

  • Is not accepted in the green bin
  • Contaminates existing composting and recycling streams
  • Is not approved for composting under provincial regulation
  • Is not designed to biodegrade if littered in the natural environment

  Fact 2

  Plastic that is labeled or described as compostable or degradable is also not accepted in Recycle BC’s residential recycling program External website, opens in new tab.

  Fact 3

  As contaminants, plastics that are labeled or described as compostable, degradable, or made from plants are most likely to be removed from composting and recycling streams and then disposed to landfill or incinerator.

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  Food delivery services

  Food vendors located in Vancouver must comply with the single-use item by-laws, including sales through food delivery services. 

  All food delivery service providers should update their online, mobile, and telephone ordering platforms for food vendors located in Vancouver to ensure that customers can request flexible plastic straws wrapped individually in paper (if needed for accessibility).

  Food delivery service companies can use this menu icon Image file (556 KB) to let customers know that flexible plastic straws are available. 

  Learn more about the menu icon

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  Enforcing the rules

  Due to the extenuating circumstances of COVID-19, City staff are prioritizing outreach and education to ensure businesses have the support they need in order to comply with the single-use item by-laws.

  If a business is found to be out of compliance with the single-use item by-laws that are in effect, our initial actions will focus on education, outreach, and support to help them comply.

  Following these initial education actions, increasing levels of enforcement may be applied to address non-compliant operators. Enforcement may include issuing tickets, which carry a fine of $500 per offence. The provision for the $500 fine is in the Ticket Offences By-law No. 9360 PDF file (218 KB).

  Further prosecutions in provincial court could be subject to a maximum fine of $10,000 per offence. 

  Ongoing non-compliance may also result in business licence suspensions, or recommendations for business licence revocation.

  Information icon Charitable food services may continue to distribute single-use items with food or meals during COVID-19. Charitable food services are expected to begin working towards complying with the by-laws as soon as it is possible for them.

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  Your turn: Comply with the by-law

  • Order flexible plastic straws, individually wrapped in paper, for accessibility: These straws must be stocked and provided upon request by all food vendors. A list of suppliers that sell these straws is available at vancouver.ca/straws.
  • Speak with your supplier about alternatives to banned straws: See above for suggested alternatives. 
  • Add the accessible straw icon to your menus: Add the icon (available in the toolkit) to your print and website menus to show patrons with disabilities that flexible plastic straws are available to them.
  • Update your software: Update your online, mobile, and telephone ordering systems to ensure that customers can request flexible plastic straws, if needed for accessibility. Here is sample wording you can use on your ordering platforms: 
    • Flexible plastic straw (for accessibility) 
      Flexible plastic straws are available for customers who are unable to drink without a straw, or have difficulty drinking, so that they can safely consume beverages and nutrition. 
  • Train your staff: Make sure staff understand the straw by-law and that anyone who asks for a flexible plastic straw receives one without being asked to provide any medical information to prove their need. 
  • Keep flexible plastic straws behind the counter: Not at self-serve stations. 
  • Follow sanitization guidelines if you serve drinks with reusable straws: Follow your food safety and sanitation plan approved by Vancouver Coastal Health to clean and sanitize your reusable straws.