The Economic and Environmental Impact of Canada’s Single-Use Plastic Ban

On October 8, 2018, the Canadian government announced its plans to ban single-use plastics as early as 2021. This announcement has generated a lot of discussion on how this will affect the economy, small businesses and communities across Canada. Critics argue that the ban will lead to job losses and higher prices for consumers. Supporters of the ban argue that it is necessary to protect the environment and meet Canada’s commitment to the Paris Agreement on climate change. In this blog post, we will explore both sides of the argument and try to answer the question: Is Canada’s plastic ban good or bad for the economy?

The Canadian government’s decision to ban single-use plastics is based on the belief that these products are a major source of pollution. Plastic waste has been found in every corner of the world, from the Arctic to the depths of the ocean. It is estimated that 8 million tones of plastic end up in the ocean each year, where it harms marine life and contributes to the problem of ocean plastic pollution.

The Canadian government is not alone in its belief that single-use plastics are a problem. The European Union has also proposed a ban on certain single-use plastics, and the UK has announced plans to ban all avoidable plastic waste by 2025. In Canada, the city of Vancouver has already banned plastic straws and is considering a ban on other single-use plastics.

The Canadian government’s decision to ban single-use plastics will have an economic impact. The plastics industry is worth billions of dollars and will need to invest on scientific research that will lead to finding scalable, and affordable bio-based replacement for single use plastic. Of course, the only certainty with research is the uncertainty but the hope would be finding an accessible solution. 

The environmental impact of the ban is very clear. banning single-use plastics will lead to a reduction in plastic pollution. However, it is also possible that the ban may result in the production of more plastic waste, as companies switch to using other materials that are also not recyclable or compostable.

Any action that could save the planet for the next generations of the people who will set foot on this planet should be the moral responsibility to all despite the temporary economical hiccups that this journey may through at us.

We at Greendish think the economic impact will be small but only time will tell the true economic impact of Canadian government’s decision to ban single-use plastics. What do you think? Let us know in the comments below.