Information for businesses, charities, and not-for-profits

• |

• 

  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.

  ---

  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-laws

• |

• 

  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 make sure that customers:

  • Can request utensils
  • Can request flexible plastic straws wrapped individually in paper (if needed for accessibility)
  • Are charged for any paper or reusable shopping bags, and the fees are reflected on receipts
• 

  Reducing single-use items during COVID-19

  The health and safety of residents, businesses, and their staff are a priority for us and we continue to work to ensure all our single-use item by-laws align with current public health guidelines.

  For the latest COVID-19 health requirements and resources, visit:

  • Office of the Provincial Health Officer External website, opens in new tab
  • British Columbia Centre for Disease Control information for food businesses External website, opens in new tab
  • Vancouver Coastal Health environmental health and inspections External website, opens in new tab
  • Work Safe BC External website, opens in new tab
• 

  Suggested alternatives: what to choose instead

  We encourage you to source reusable alternatives or single-use packaging that can be: 

  • Recycled in the Recycle BC residential recycling program External website, opens in new tab
  • Composted in the green bin

  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 B)
  • Tiếng Việt PDF file (2 MB)
• 

  Myth busting: compostable and degradable plastics

  It’s time for some myth busting. 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.

• 

  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.