Report #ESW 08-25
REPORT TO ENVIRONMENT COMMITTEE
MEETING OF WEDNESDAY, 27 FEBRUARY 2008
SUBJECT
REDUCTION OF EXCESSIVE USE OF PLASTIC SHOPPING BAGS
PURPOSE
To provide the Environment committee with information on reducing the excessive use of plastic shopping
bags in our region.
BACKGROUND
At the 09 January 2008 Capital Regional District (CRD) Board meeting, the Board referred the following
notice of motion to the Environment committee:
"That the Capital Regional District Board direct staff to report on options available to the board to reduce
excessive use of plastic shopping bags in the region. Specifically, the report should outline measures
that have been undertaken, or are being considered, in other jurisdictions to accomplish this purpose and
should describe approaches that the board could take to accomplish the same goal in our region."
DISCUSSION
Other Jurisdictions
Cities and countries around the world have banned or taxed plastic bags. Attachment 1 outlines a variety
of measures that have been undertaken, or are being considered, in jurisdictions around the world. In
April 2007, the Manitoba town of Leaf Rapids was the first Canadian town to ban plastic bags. In BC, the
towns of Tofino and Rossland followed by implementing voluntary bans. In the Capital Region, the Real
Canadian Superstore became the first major BC grocery retailer to go plastic bag-free last November.
Approaches
At the meeting of 13 December 2007, the Solid Waste Advisory committee (SWAC) reviewed a staff
report on the issue of plastic bags and reviewed options on how to approach reducing the excessive use
of plastic shopping bags in our region (Attachment 2).
There are a number of alternatives on how to deal with plastic bags, including a ban at Hartland landfill,
taxing, product stewardship, voluntary retail initiatives, reusable bags, recycling and education. They are
identified in Appendix B of Attachment 2 and include a discussion of what role the CRD may play.
Note – the CRD does not have the authority to ban the sale of plastic bags within the region or to tax
plastic bags at point of sale.
POSSIBLE CRD OPTIONS
At the 13 December 2007 meeting, SWAC discussed two possible CRD options.
HDM\#221320\v2
Environment Committee – 27 February 2008
Re: Reduction of Excessive Use of Plastic Shopping Bags
Page 2
Option 1:
Ban Plastic Bags from Hartland Landfill
The CRD has the authority to ban materials from Hartland landfill. While there are viable alternatives for
plastic bags, there are a number of issues to be considered:
•
•
•
What type of plastic bags would be included in a ban?
Most residents reuse plastic shopping bags to contain their garbage. If plastic bags were banned,
residents would have to buy other types of bags, such as biodegradable bags or paper bags.
A plastic bag ban would be extremely difficult to enforce at Hartland landfill.
This option is not recommended by staff.
Option 2:
Increase Education to Reduce Use of Plastic Bags
CRD solid waste education programs have been promoting alternatives to plastic shopping bags and
recycling of leftover plastic bags since 1989. The CRD could launch a major education campaign;
however, there is no funding budgeted for such a program in the 2008 budget. It appears that voluntary
retail initiatives and grassroots campaigns have already heightened awareness of the plastic shopping
bag issue. There is frequent free coverage of the issue in the local media.
The CRD is committed to supporting alternatives to plastic shopping bags in a number of ways, including:
•
•
•
•
•
•
creating a separate web page on the CRD website listing alternatives to plastic bags and options for
plastic bag recycling
adding information in the 2008 to 2010 recycling schedule, which will be distributed to over 100,000
homes in April 2008
adding information in the new recycling guide
investigating reminder props as promotional handouts (e.g., a "Remember the Old Bag?" sticker or
magnet)
highlighting the use of reusable bags at outreach displays and in its school program;
writing to the BC minister of environment to lobby for inclusion of plastic bags in the BC Recycling
Regulation
This option is recommended by staff.
SUMMARY
Plastic shopping bags are receiving a lot of public attention. There are concerns about the environmental
impacts of plastic bags. Alternatives on how to reduce the use of plastic bags include bans, taxation,
product stewardship, voluntary incentives, reusable bags, recycling and education. The CRD has the
authority to ban plastic bags at Hartland landfill but this would be extremely difficult to enforce. The CRD
is committed to supporting alternatives to plastic shopping bags through its solid waste education
programs. Enhanced education related to this issue is the recommended course of action.
SOLID WASTE ADVISORY COMMITTEE
At the meeting of 13 December 2007, SWAC was advised that the CRD does not have the authority to
ban the sale of plastic bags. SWAC requested that this issue be referred to the Roundtable on the
Environment to explore the formulation of a model bylaw similar to the model Pesticide Use Control
HDM\#221320\v2
Environment Committee – 27 February 2008
Re: Reduction of Excessive Use of Plastic Shopping Bags
Page 3
Bylaw. SWAC also endorsed that the CRD increase education about the use of reusable bags, as
outlined in Option 2 above, and that this be forwarded to the Environment committee for consideration.
ADDITIONAL FEEDBACK
The vice-president of the Canadian Plastics Industry Association (CPIA) contacted CRD staff regarding
this issue and has suggested forming a partnership arrangement with the CRD, industry and retailers to
further discuss and explore more options to encourage the reduction, reuse and recycling of plastic bags.
Similar partnerships exist in Ontario in the Durham region and the municipalities of Sault Ste Marie and
London. A CPIA representative is scheduled to make a presentation to this committee on 27 February
2008.
RECOMMENDATION
That the Environment committee:
1.
refer this issue to the Roundtable on the Environment to explore the formulation of a model bylaw
similar to the model Pesticide Use Control Bylaw;
2.
endorse an increase in education about alternatives to plastic bags, as outlined in Option 2; and
3.
endorse writing a letter to the minister of environment regarding inclusion of plastic bags in the
BC Recycling Regulation.
Alan Summers, PEng
Senior Manager, Solid Waste Division
COMMENTS
AB:gh
Attachments: 2
HDM\#221320\v2
Dwayne Kalynchuk, PEng
General Manager, Environmental Services
Concurrence
ATTACHMENT 1
PLASTIC SHOPPING BAGS
MEASURES TO REDUCE THEIR USE IN VARIOUS JURISDICTIONS*
LOCATION
APPROACH
DETAILS
CANADA
Province of
Ontario
The province has opted for a commitment by
industry and retailers to reduce bag use by 50%
within two years and to explore options to
increase reuse and recycling.
Program partners have
committed to an annual report.
Leaf Rapids,
Manitoba
In 2006, the town imposed a levy on plastic
shopping bags.
The town has a population of
550 and two stores.
In April 2007, the town approved a bylaw to ban
plastic shopping bags. The bylaw prevents
retailers from selling or distributing single-use
bags.
There is a potential $1,000 a-day fine.
Huntingdon,
Quebec
Starting 01 January 2008, the town
implemented a bylaw stating that no retail outlet
can distribute plastic bags, no advertiser can
deliver flyers in plastic bags and residents are
not supposed to line their garbage bins with
plastic bags.
The town has a population of
2,600, one supermarket and
possibly some other small
stores.
Tofino, BC
In May 2007, council voted to ban plastic bags,
but there is no enforcement mechanism.
Retail owners are asked to
comply with the ban voluntarily.
Rossland, BC
Regional District of
Kootenay
Boundary
The Regional District of Kootenay Boundary
initiated a social marketing campaign in the City
of Rossland to promote voluntary reduction of
plastic bags.
The campaign included a "Bring
the Old Bag Shopping" poster
and distribution of over 20,000
reusable bags in partnership
with local stores. Stores used
various incentives (e.g., free
cookies or donations of five
cents to a charity) for people
who bring their own bags.
Other
Sault Ste Marie initiated a Say "Yes" to Reuse
and Recycling Campaign.
The Recycling Council of Ontario
is testing a Shopper Loyalty
Program, which rewards
consumers who shop with
reusable bags.
Durham Region and the City of London, Ont.,
have launched plastic bag recycling and
reusable shopping bag programs.
Programs in the above three areas have been
initiated in partnership with the Canadian
Plastics Industry Association.
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Some retailers are promoting
Best Bagging programs to
ensure that there are at least five
items in a plastic shopping bag.
Attachment 1
Measures to Reduce Use of Plastic Bags
in Various Jurisdictions
LOCATION
Page 2
APPROACH
DETAILS
A Plastic Bag Reduction Ordinance came into
effect in December 2007. The ordinance
prohibits plastic bags from two store types: large
supermarkets and chain pharmacies with sales
over $2 million a year. It affects 54 stores.
Most grocery stores and retail
businesses will still be permitted
to use regular plastic bags, as
they fall under $2 million in
annual sales.
There is no tax or check-out fee on bags. A
state assembly bill prevents any municipality in
the state from assessing a fee or tax on
check-out bags.
According to a San Francisco
staff member, there has been
95% compliance by retailers.
Fifty-three stores are using
paper bags and one store has
switched to compostable bags.
It is estimated that use of
reusable bags has increased
30% by customers using those
businesses.
USA
San Francisco,
California
Affected stores are required to use
compostable, paper or reusable bags.
Compostable bags are accepted in the city’s
organic collection program.
Oakland,
California
Council voted in favour of an ordinance similar
to the San Francisco ban, to take effect in
January 2008.
The ordinance has been delayed due to a
lawsuit that Oakland did not file an
environmental impact report under the California
Environmental Quality Act.
Fairfax, California
A group called The Coalition to
Support Plastic Bag Recycling
has filed a lawsuit against the
city, and a resolution is expected
to be reached by mid-March.
Fairfax considered a mandatory ban but
switched to a voluntary approach after
threatened by a lawsuit.
The ban is currently voluntary.
Council is considering putting
the ban on a voters’ ballot.
Ireland imposed a 17-cent levy on disposable
plastic shopping bags in 2002.
The tax has essentially
eliminated plastic shopping
bags, but sales of other types of
plastic bags (to line garbage
cans) and paper bags have
increased by over 400% each.
WORLD
Ireland
There has been a 90% increase in the use of
reusable bags.
Taiwan
Taiwan banned bags and other plastic items
(knives, forks, cups) in fast food restaurants and
supermarkets in 2001.
Taiwan lifted the ban on bags
used in the fast food industry in
2006.
Bangladesh,
Rwanda, Eritrea,
Tanzania
These countries have banned bags or stopped
their import.
Bags are still present. Many are
smuggled into the countries.
HDM\#221320\v2
Attachment 1
Measures to Reduce Use of Plastic Bags
in Various Jurisdictions
LOCATION
APPROACH
China
China is planning to restrict the production, sale
and use of plastic bags thicker than 0.025 mm
as of 01 June 2008.
Australia
Australia is considering a federal ban in 2008.
New York
New York has a law requiring large stores to
provide recycling bins for plastic bags.
London
Thirty-three districts have lobbied together for a
2009 ban.
Page 3
DETAILS
OTHER NOTABLE INITIATIVES
The Modbury Experiment
First place in Britain with a
voluntary ban – promotes a
town-by-town approach.
The Island Race
Race between the islands of
Mull, Arran and Guernsey to
become the first plastic bag-free
island in the world.
The Pocket Approach
(Community-driven approach at the local level –
could be a plastic bag-free municipality, island,
neighbourhood or plaza.)
Similar to the town-by-town idea.
Create pockets of plastic
bag-free areas where local
retailers have agreed not to
hand out plastic shopping bags.
Start in areas without major retail
stores (for example, the District
of Highlands or Saturna Island)
and map how the campaign
spreads to other areas of the
region.
The Pledge
Municipalities can ask residents
to make an online pledge on
their website to take a reusable
bag every time they go
shopping. Municipalities in the
Capital Region could race
against each other to see who
has the highest percentage of
residents sign up.
* List is not inclusive of all initiatives.
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ATTACHMENT 2
Report #07-24
REPORT TO SOLID WASTE ADVISORY COMMITTEE
MEETING OF THURSDAY, 13 DECEMBER 2007
SUBJECT
PLASTIC BAG ISSUES AND OPTIONS
PURPOSE
To provide the Solid Waste Advisory committee (SWAC) with an update on plastic bag issues and
options.
BACKGROUND
The Solid Waste Advisory committee (SWAC) has discussed the issue of plastic bags five times in the
past four years. Appendix A provides a listing of the reports and an overview of the issues.
DISCUSSION
Plastic bags are in the news. In April 2007, the Manitoba town of Leaf Rapids was the first Canadian
town to ban plastic bags. In BC, the towns of Tofino and Rossland followed by implementing voluntary
bans. In the capital region, the Real Canadian Superstore became the first major BC grocery retailer to
go plastic-bag free this November. Cities and countries around the world have banned or taxed plastic
bags. The issue is getting a lot of public attention and there is a growing grassroots movement against
single-use plastic bags.
What are the concerns?
Advocates of plastic bag bans have a number of concerns, including:
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
plastic bags are made from a non-renewable natural resource
the production and disposal of plastic bags create greenhouse gases and use energy
many plastic bags end up in landfills instead of being recycled
plastic bags break down slowly and may contaminate groundwater or landfill leachate
littered plastic bags can hurt and kill wildlife and end up in storm drains or waterways
plastic bags add costs, from grocery bills to municipal waste and litter management budgets
plastic bags are the ultimate symbol of consumerism
What are the alternatives?
There are a number of alternatives on how to deal with plastic bags. They are identified in Appendix B,
including a discussion of what role the Capital Regional District may play.
Alternatives include bans at Hartland landfill, taxing, product stewardship, retail initiatives, reusable bags,
recycling and education.
Note – the CRD does not have the authority to ban the sale of plastic bags within the region.
POSSIBLE CRD OPTIONS
Option 1:
Ban Plastic Bags from Hartland Landfill
The CRD has the authority to ban materials from Hartland landfill. While there are viable alternatives for
plastic bags, there are a number of issues to be considered:
HDM\#217599\v1
Solid Waste Advisory Committee – 13 December 2007
Re: Plastic Bag Issues and Options
Page 2
•
•
•
What type of plastic bags would be included in a ban?
Most residents reuse plastic grocery bags to contain their garbage. If plastic bags were banned,
residents would have to buy other types of bags, such as biodegradable bags or paper bags.
A plastic bag ban would be extremely difficult to enforce at Hartland landfill.
This option is not recommended by staff.
Option 2:
Increase Education to Reduce Use of Plastic Bags
Solid Waste education programs have been promoting alternatives to plastic bags and recycling of
leftover plastic bags since 1989 (see above). The CRD could launch a major education campaign;
however, there is no funding budgeted for such a program in the 2008 budget. It appears that voluntary
retail initiatives and grassroots campaigns have already heightened awareness of the plastic bag issue.
There is frequent free coverage of the issue in the local media.
The CRD is committed to supporting alternatives to plastic bags in a number of ways, including:
•
•
•
•
•
•
Create a separate web page on the CRD website listing alternatives to plastic bags and options for
plastic bag recycling.
Include information in the 2008 to 2010 recycling schedule which will be distributed to over 100,000
homes in April 2008.
Add information in the new recycling guide.
Investigate reminder props as promotional handouts (e.g., a “Remember the Old Bag?” sticker or
magnet).
Highlight the use of reusable bags at outreach displays and in its school program.
Write to the BC minister of environment to lobby for inclusion of plastic bags in the BC Recycling
Regulation
This option is recommended by staff.
SUMMARY
Plastic bags are receiving a lot of public attention. There are concerns about the environmental impacts
of plastic bags. Alternatives on how to reduce the use of plastic bags include bans, taxation, product
stewardship, voluntary incentives, reusable bags, recycling and education. The CRD has the authority to
ban plastic bags at Hartland landfill but this would be extremely difficult to enforce. The CRD is
committed to support alternatives to plastic bags through its solid waste education programs. Enhanced
education related to this issue is the recommended course of action.
RECOMMENDATION
That the Solid Waste Advisory committee:
1.
receive this report for information; and
2.
forward the report to the Environment committee for consideration.
A.W. Summers, PEng
Senior Manager, Solid Waste Division
AB:gh
Attachments: 2
HDM-#217599/V1
APPENDIX A
LIST OF SOLID WASTE ADVISORY COMMITTEE
STAFF REPORTS ON PLASTIC BAGS
23 June 2003 and 08 January 2004 – Blue Box Curbside Recycling Program Beyond 2005
The SWAC Curbside Collection subcommittee recommended against adding plastic grocery bags to the
new collection program.
The reports summarize the reasons for not including plastic bags in the blue box program:
•
•
•
•
•
The bags represent a potential blowing litter problem.
Film plastic recycling has low tolerance levels for contamination.
Waste plastic bags have no commercial value and are expensive to collect, process and recycle.
A curbside collection program would duplicate retailer collection programs.
Collection trucks have limited capacity.
The January report pointed out that plastic bags make up less than 1% of the CRD waste stream and
suggested that plastic bags could be added to the BC Recycling Regulation.
10 June 2004 – Plastic Bag Disposal and Residential Education Alternatives
Following a request by SWAC, staff confirmed that neither the Municipality of Courtney nor the
Comox-Strathcona Regional District had banned plastic bags or introduced a plastic bag collection
program.
The report presented three options for plastic bags education:
1.
2.
3.
promote return to retail programs
educate residents not to put recyclables in plastic bags at the curb
encourage people to stop using plastic bags
CRD education staff have been promoting all three options at outreach events and in the school program.
05 March 2005 – Plastic Grocery Bag Recycling
The report consisted of a memo with responses to questions raised by SWAC:
•
•
•
•
BC Ministry of Environment staff stated that regional districts do not have the authority to mandate
return-to-retail programs.
BC Ministry of Environment staff advised that they have fiscal constraints and are focusing on more
pressing environmental issues (e.g., electronics).
A survey of 20 local grocery stores indicated that most have a plastic collection program in place.
The bags are processed by Merlin Plastics and used in the manufacture of wood composite
products.
Based on the survey information, it was estimated that local grocers use approximately 25,000,000
bags per year in total.
22 November 2006 – Proposed Tax on Plastic Shopping Bags
The report outlined the following factors related to a tax on plastic bags:
•
•
•
•
In Ireland, a tax on plastic bags has reduced the use of these bags by an estimated 90%.
Plastic bags comprise less than 1% of Hartland waste. They compact readily in landfills. A tax
would only marginally reduce the amount of solid waste in the capital region.
Canadian litter audits show that plastic bags account for less than 0.5% of litter.
The majority of plastic bags are reused by residents to collect household refuse.
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Appendix A
List of Staff Reports on Plastic Bags
•
•
•
Page 2
In jurisdictions where a tax on plastic bags has been introduced, the sale and use of other plastic
garbage liners and bags have increased. This impact has been observed in Ireland.
Most major local grocery retailers offer free in-store collection.
A plastic bag tax would be inconsistent with the Ministry of Environment’s Product Stewardship
Business Plan.
The report provided pros and cons of three potential alternatives to plastic shopping bags:
•
•
•
Industry product stewardship:
Pros: places responsibility with producers and users, may be able to utilize existing
o
collection infrastructure, would ensure diverting bags from disposal
o
Cons: may not change current rate of use, may result in eco-fees, may take years to realize,
not a priority with the BC Ministry of Environment
Reusable cloth shopping bags:
Pros: cloth bags are reusable and reduce the use of plastic bags
o
Cons: there is limited consumer interest, cloth bag-use cannot be mandated, there is a cost
o
to buy them
Biodegradable plastic bags:
Pros: will more readily decompose in landfill
o
Cons: not recyclable, can contaminate other recyclable plastics, more costly, can be less
o
durable, not widely available
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APPENDIX B
PLASTIC BAG ISSUES AND OPTIONS
LIST OF ALTERNATIVES AND CRD ROLE
Bans
The CRD can ban materials from Hartland landfill if viable alternatives exist. The CRD does not have the
regulatory authority to ban plastic bags at point of sale.
Taxes or Levies
The CRD does not have the regulatory authority to tax plastic bags at point of sale.
Industry Product Stewardship
The CRD cannot mandate a return-to-retail program. The CRD can lobby the BC Ministry of Environment
to include plastic bags in the BC Recycling Regulation.
Monetary Charges or Incentives by Retail Stores
Many retail stores either charge a nominal fee for plastic bags or offer refunds for shoppers who bring
their own bags. The CRD supports voluntary retail incentives.
Reusable Bags
CRD Solid Waste staff have always encouraged the use of reusable bags to reduce waste and have
occasionally distributed reusable bags as promotional items. At the 2007 Hartland open house, each
participant was offered a complimentary reusable plastic shopping bag. Reusable bags are also
distributed at solid waste outreach displays, but their numbers are limited due to cost.
Recycling
The CRD has the option to add plastic bags to the curbside recycling program in 2012 when the current
contract expires. The current recycling schedule, which was distributed to over 100,000 homes on the
curbside program, advises participants that plastic bags are not accepted in the program and encourages
them to recycle the bags at participating retail and grocery stores. CRD staff are currently investigating
the option of recycling plastic film, including plastic bags, at the Hartland recycling facility.
Education
All CRD Solid Waste education programs promote the 3 Rs of reduce, reuse and recycle. The hierarchy
applies to plastic bags as follows: reduce by using reusable bags, reuse plastic bags as often as possible
and recycle leftover bags.
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