Canada Eliminates Production, Sale, and Export of Six Types of Ocean-Polluting Single-Use Plastics - Oceana

Victory | June 20, 2022

Canada Eliminates Production, Sale, and Export of Six Types of Ocean-Polluting Single-Use Plastics

In a significant victory for our oceans, the Canadian government has announced it will phase out some of the most commonly found plastics polluting Canada’s shorelines and oceans by the end of 2023. Production, sale and exports of plastic bags, cutlery, stir sticks, six-pack rings, straws, and some plastic takeout containers will be eliminated. Oceana and our allies have been instrumental in advocating for this and other policies to reduce plastic pollution since 2019. Combined, the items banned will remove 33 billion units of single-use plastics from the waste stream, some of which entered the oceans every year and that harm marine animals like seabirds, whales, and turtles. Oceana will continue campaigning to ensure more harmful plastic products are added to the ban list.