Canada’s restaurant industry adjusting to single-use plastics ban
Posted April 11, 2023 5:20 pm.
Canada’s restaurant industry is one of many sectors that has had to adjust in light of the Canadian government’s plastic ban, including changing checkout bags, cutlery, food service ware, stir sticks and straws.
It was a prominent part of the discussion on how restaurants will adapt at the Restaurants Canada (RC) show in Toronto this week. The plastics ban is a part of Canada’s goal to achieve zero plastic waste by 2030.
Businesses will now have to shift towards non-single-use plastic alternatives, and LEAF Canada is a non-profit trying to help with this transition.
“The ban came into effect in December 2022, so it’s in the transition period now where whatever you have now that is single-use plastics you can use until you run out, you won’t be able to buy anymore,” said Vicky Huang, Education and Environmental Resource Coordinator for LEAF Canada.
“It definitely impacts the food service industry because that is a big part of how we do.”
LEAF Canada said they are working to empower and educate the food service industry to shift towards more sustainable practices.
“And in the case of single-use plastics, we’re here to guide the industry so instead of being daunted by the shift towards more sustainable alternatives,” explained Huang.
“Packaging, which includes food packaging and take out containers, cutlery, all of that is amongst the biggest contributor to waste or plastic waste in Canada.”
Over three million tons of plastics are wasted every year across the country, and about 125 kilograms per person, according to Huang.
“Only nine per cent of plastics are recycled, even though we wish there were more,” said Huang. “There are compostable alternatives. There are reusable alternatives, there are reusable container programs.”
Some Canadian companies are already thinking about green solutions like Leaf-approved supplier, Greenovation.
“Our product is made of fallen leaves, so it’s just dried leaves steamed pressed,” explained managing partner Chintan Shah.
The RC show in Toronto also showcases alternatives like reusable container programs and compostable options.
