About Single-Use Items Bylaw
Richmond's Single-Use Plastics BanThe City is moving ahead Sep 27, 2021 to present Bylaw 10000 to Council for final adoption. If adopted, Bylaw 10000 will be implemented on Mar 27, 2022, with enforcement beginning Sep 27, 2022. Bylaw 10000 bans:
- plastic checkout bags (including biodegradable and compostable plastics);
- plastic straws (including biodegradable and compostable plastics); and
- foam food service ware for prepared food (such as foam plates, clamshell containers, bowls and cups).
2019 Community Engagement Summary Report
Overview of Proposed Bylaw 10000
Proposed Single-use & Other Items Bylaw 10000
RESOURCES FOR BUSINESSES
Frequently Asked Questions
Why we need to reduce single-use plastic and other items
Here's what we all know...
- Single-use items create unnecessary waste because they are barely used once before being tossed out.
- These items are lightweight in nature, which can result in them being blown into public spaces, as well as polluting oceans, lakes, rivers and streams.
- Huge amounts of plastic are used annually - 3.84 million tonnes each year in Canada alone, with only 9% actually collected for recycling.
- There are better alternatives – some are compostable or recyclable, others can be re-used multiple times.
Single-use is wasteful and not sustainable
- It’s time to shift to a circular economy, where the materials we use stay in circulation to be used, re-used and recycled multiple times into new products.
- This shift from single-use to a circular economy is more sustainable because it reduces reliance on new raw materials and reduces waste going to landfills.
- Recycling is important, but reducing waste is essential.
- Low-grade plastic used in single-use items cannot be recycled more than a couple times – at most – before they end up in the landfill.
Plastics Action by Other Government Levels
The federal Government of Canada is proposing steps to eliminating plastic pollution in Canada, including potentially banning or restricting certain harmful single-use products. For more details on federal action click here.
The provincial Ministry of Environment and Climate Change Strategy is taking steps to ban single-use packaging, reduce plastics overall, and recycle more plastics. For more details on provincial action click here.
Past Reports to City Council
Reports are provided in Adobe Acrobat pdf format.
| Meeting Date | Report Title | Agenda Item | Minutes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2021-Jul-26 | Single-Use Bylaw No. 10000 Community Engagement Summary Report and Implementation Plan |
15 | |
| 2020-Dec-07 | Environment and Climate Change Canada Discussion Paper on Plastics Action: City of Richmond Response |
8 | Minutes |
| 2019-Sep-09 | CleanBC Plastics Action Plan - Policy Consultation Paper | 8 | Minutes |
| 2019-Jul-22 | Single-Use Plastic and Other Items Bylaw and Implementation Plans | 8 | Minutes |
| 2019-Jun-24 | UBCM Resolutions - Provincial Single-Use Item Strategy and Compostable Single-Use Items | 14 | Minutes |
| 2019-May-21 | Single-Use Plastic Items - City of Vancouver Proposals Single-Use Plastic Items -Preliminary Research Scan |
5 6 |
Minutes |
| 2019-Apr-15 | Single-Use Plastic Items - Proposed Consultation | 5 | Minutes |
| 2019-Feb-19 | Initiating referral from Council - see minutes | 7 | Minutes |
Related Links and Resources
- News Release Sep 12, 2020 - Richmond to determine timing of Single-Use Plastic and Other Items Bylaw following Provincial approval
- News Release Jul 24, 2019 - Richmond takes lead to ban single-use plastics
- Resources for Businesses
- News Release Oct 16, 2019 - Richmond seeks business and public feedback on the ban of single-use plastic and other items
- New Release Sep 12, 2020 - Richmond to determine timing of Single-Use Plastic and Other Items Bylaw following Provincial approval
Contact Us
Phone: 604-276-4010