The federal government is taking steps to stop plastics from ending up in our waters, like Lake Huron, as it works to achieve zero plastic waste by 2030.
Today, Minister of Environment and Climate Change, Jonathan Wilkinson announced a proposed ban on six items that are hard to recycle: grocery bags, stir sticks, six-pack rings, cutlery, and food ware made from hard-to-recycle plastics.
"I think it's very important that people don't focus too much on the ban," Wilkinson said. "This is a comprehensive plan. It is a comprehensive plan that is focused on creating circularity with respect to the use of plastics."
Wilkinson said that means enhancing recycling rates, making producers for the collection and recycling of their products, and recycled content standards.
The proposed ban would go into effect at the end of 2021.
Canadian Heritage Minister Steven Guilbeault pointed out it's much easier to recycle something than create it from natural resources.
"From an environmental point of view, from an energy point of view, from a natural resource point of view this idea of being able to recycle more and more is something we should strive for as much as we can," Guilbeault said.
The ban was included in a discussion paper -- Proposed Integrated Management Approach to Plastic Products to Prevent Waste and Pollution -- published today.
Environment Minister Jonathan Wilkinson also announced $2 million dollars to fund 14 new Canadian-led plastic reduction initiatives. Those initiatives would prevent, capture, and remove plastic pollution from the environment.