A Montreal bylaw banning the use of single-use plastic items comes into effect on Tuesday. Glasses, stir sticks, straws and utensils are among the items that will be prohibited.
The ban also applies to products made of polystyrene or compostable plastic, whether used on-site in restaurants or to take away, with the sole exception of trays for raw meat and fish.
The bylaw was passed 18 months ago and covers the 19 boroughs that make up the City of Montreal, with officials estimating some 8,400 businesses will be affected.
There are some exceptions, including for non-profit groups like charities or organizations that deliver meals to vulnerable people.
Inspectors will be able to give a warning during the first visit, but from the second offense, traders are exposed to fines ranging from $400 to $4,000.
Marie-Andrée Mauger, member of the city’s executive committee responsible for the ecological transition, indicates that the City will show a certain indulgence to allow merchants to sell off their older stock.
Mauger told reporters last week that the city’s only landfill would reach capacity in 2029, so there’s no choice but to reduce waste at source.
“We have to respect the limits of ecosystems,” said Ms. Mauger. If everyone lived like us in Montreal, it would take four planets to support the rate at which we consume resources. »
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