Vancouver could delay plastic straw and foam food container ban until 2020

The City of Vancouver could delay its ban on plastic straws and styrofoam takeout containers.

City staff will meet this Wednesday, April 24, to update council on the Single-Use Item Reduction Strategy and a request to delay the ban of foam cups, take-out containers, and plastic straws will on be on the agenda.

See also

• Vancouver approves ban on plastic straws, foam cups and containers
• Canada could be banning plastic straws soon
• A Vancouver-based Kickstarter is making reusable bubble tea straws
• Vancouver uses 2.6 million disposable coffee cups every week
• Vancouver installing new large garbage and recycling bins on sidewalks

The ban on the distribution of these materials within city limits was approved in May 2018 and was supposed to go into effect on June 1, 2019.

However, city staff is now looking to extend that date to January 1, 2020, for foam take-out materials, and April 2020 for plastic straws.

According to a notice from the City of Vancouver, “the request to extend the start dates for the ban on foam cups, foam take-out containers and the unnecessary use of plastic straws is in response to stakeholder feedback, particularly from small businesses, who have indicated that the most meaningful support the city can provide is enough time for businesses to find convenient, affordable and accessible alternatives.”

The city says that possible restrictions or bans for plastic and paper shopping bags, disposable cups, and single-use utensils will be announced by November 30, 2019.