Waste from single-use items creates a lot of litter and causes long lasting environmental damage. The City of Spruce Grove implemented a bylaw which bans plastic checkout bags, polystyrene serving ware, and plastic straws.

No. The City of Spruce Grove’s Single-Use Items Reduction Bylaw does not reference federal regulations, nor does it rely on the classification of single use plastics as being “toxic.” Therefore, the Federal Court’s recent decision does not undermine or contradict the City of Spruce Grove bylaw. The Single-Use Items Reduction Bylaw remains in effect.

Single-use items are products that are typically used only once before they are discarded. This includes items such as plastic and paper retail bags, plastic straws, take-out containers, coffee cups, stir sticks, disposable cutlery, sandwich bags, and more.

The following items are banned (with exceptions):

• Plastic checkout bags including retail bags made from fossil fuel products and plastics that are labelled as compostable, degradable, or made from plants or other biological materials.
• Polystyrene food service ware used for packaging leftovers, take-out, delivery, and serving food consumed on premises including but not limited to plates, cups, bowls, trays, cartons, and hinged (clamshell) or lidded containers.
• Plastic straws

This bylaw is the first step into single-use items reduction for the City. The City will explore other ways to reduce other single-use items that have alternatives. The federal government is also planning a ban on the distribution of specific single-use items that will come into effect in the next couple of years that will complement this bylaw.

Some single-use items are necessary and serve useful purposes, like in the case of some medical requirements such as face masks. When possible and appropriate, using reusable masks is preferable to the single-use options.

Each year residents of Spruce Grove throw away an average of 6.73 million single-use items such as plastic bags, take-away containers, and plastic straws. Most often these items cannot be recycled and end up littering our city, taking up space in our landfills, and causing long lasting environmental damage.

Yes. The ban does not apply in the following circumstances:

• Products sold for personal use or items sold in bulk e.g. black garbage bags, box of straws, etc.
• Straws or polystyrene distributed to individuals at hospitals, day program sites, and continuing care facilities.
• Plastic bags used to protect prepared foods, loose items, medications, dry cleaning, and some bulk items.
• Where beverages are served and consumed, businesses are required to provide an accessible plastic straw at the customer’s request. An accessible straw refers to a flexible plastic straw, individually wrapped in paper.

We need to start our journey of tackling plastic pollution and plastic bags is a common starting point. It is important to focus on conserving resources for future generations rather than keeping up the status quo with respect to waste for the sake of convenience.

Plastic bags pollute the environment including our parks, trails and open spaces and they not only require significant energy to produce but also to dispose of.

Pollution from plastic is a big problem. By bringing your own bag, you are helping to reduce the amount of plastic that ends up in landfills.

If you forget your reusable bag, you can buy one.

Some tips to remember your bags include:

• Keep them in your vehicle or pocket
• Include 'bags' as the first item on your shopping list
• Leave them by the front door

No. Everyone is encouraged to use reusable bags where they can. The bylaw encourages businesses to sell paper bags for a 15 cent minimum charge.

Information about COVID-19 transmission continues to evolve. Current research suggests that transmission from touching surfaces is not a common way that COVID-19 spreads.

There are many reusable, recyclable, and compostable options for food and take-out containers – all of which are preferable to polystyrene.

Plastic straws are banned under this bylaw – with some exceptions. Restaurant and food vendors are required to stock flexible straws individually wrapped in paper so people who need a straw for accessibility purposes to consume beverages can do so.