OTTAWA—The federal government plans to ban “harmful” single-use plastics across Canada as early as 2021, a move that Prime Minister Justin Trudeau says will protect the environment for future generations and spur billions of dollars in economic growth. The Canadian Federation of Independent Business, meanwhile, called for an economic assessment to determine whether banning single-use plastics will hurt small businesses like restaurants and retailers. The federal government has also committed to reducing plastic waste in its own operations, including by eliminating “unnecessary” single-use plastics like straws, cups, and bags. It is also important to make manufacturers and businesses responsible for recycling the plastics they use in their products, Buonsante said. The association’s executive vice-president, Isabelle DesChenes, said the government should study the environmental impacts of products that would replace single-use plastics before banning them.

Source: thestar June 10, 2019 14:00 UTC