With new timelines released by the Canadian government on the plastic ban, finding plastic packaging alternatives is more important than ever! The announcement also provides updates to what regulations will be in place, and when we can expect them to come into effect.
We’ve chosen five single use plastic items that the government will be banning at the end of 2022, are providing you some eco-friendly alternatives. Read on to find out more!
Straws
When the plastic ban was first announced, many businesses were quick to switch away from plastic straws. Popular alternative materials include paper, sugarcane, PLA, and bamboo! The best part about these options?
They’re all either compostable, biodegradable, or made of natural materials. To learn about other alternatives to single-use plastic straws, check out our blog post!
Grocery Bags
While you may still be seeing plastic bags in your local grocery stores, they now come at a small price. The Canadian Government cites plastic check-out bags in the list of soon-to-be banned items. There are a number of options that we recommend as alternatives to plastic grocery bags. These include:
Paper Bags
Paper bags are a great recyclable option in place of plastic bags. They’re highly customizable, with a variety of finish and printing options. These bags can also come in different paper weights depending on how sturdy you want the material to be!
Reusable Bags
Reusable bags are a great long-term option to replace their plastic counterparts. We offer several different types of reusable bag depending on your needs or the look you’re going for! Take a look at some of our examples below:
Though reusable bags are a great option to give customers, their use ultimately relies on the customer. With regular use, many of our reusable bags can last up to four years!
Reusable Net Bag
Especially for small produce like apples and other fruits, plastic bags are often the go-to. A trending plastic packaging alternative to the thin plastic bags in the produce aisle are reusable mesh or net bags! Similar to the reusable bags above, these can be used over and over, with the added benefit of being washable.
Cutlery
Especially with the rise of takeout due to the COVID-19 pandemic, it’s important to look for alternatives to single-use cutlery. Common material alternatives include bamboo, wood, and even an edible option! As for disposal, since all these options are made of natural materials, they’re compostable in some cities! Make sure you check with your local waste disposal facility to see if they accept these materials!
Take Out Containers
The government’s guidelines specify that any “foodservice ware made from or containing problematic plastics that are hard to recycle” are included in their ban.
This can range from take out boxes to disposable cups! As alternatives, we recommend options such as packaging made from paper, cornstarch, or sugarcane! Cornstarch packaging is especially good for takeout as it’s compostable, and oil resistant! LeKAC is also working on creating packaging solutions using PLA to further expand our offerings.
Ring Carriers
Plastic ring carriers have been an environmental issue for a long time. New innovations in packaging have been introduced to replace their plastic counterparts. For example, E6PR makes drink rings made of natural fibre byproducts and other compostable materials. Paper drink rings have also become more popular as well! These come with the added benefit of being customizable with print.
Ban Timelines
The plastic ban begins to come into effect starting in December, 2022. By staggering the implementation of the regulations, the Canadian government is hoping to ease businesses into the transition. To help you get a better idea of how long you have to search for plastic packaging alternatives, we’ve outlined the timelines set by the government.
| Single Use Plastic Item | Ban on Manufacture and Import Date | Ban on Sale Date | Ban on Manufacture, Import, and Sale for Export Date |
| Checkout bags, cutlery, straws foodservice ware, stir sticks, straws | December 20, 2022 | December 20, 2023 | December 20, 2025 |
| Ring carriers | June 20, 2023 | June 20, 2024 | December 20, 2025 |
| Flexible straws packaged with beverage containers | N/A | June 20, 2024 | December 20, 2025 |
In preparation of these deadlines, we recommend starting to explore your options as soon as possible! Overall, LeKAC’s main goal is to provide eco-friendly packaging solutions. In addition to constantly researching and expanding our eco-friendly options, we’re also able to help you source any items that we aren’t able to produce.
If you need help finding plastic packaging alternatives, contact us today to find out how we can help you get started! You can also learn more about the plastic ban by checking out our previous blog post!
