Single-Use Item Regulations

Single-use item reduction is a priority across Canada, and governments are taking action. Several factors are driving urgency around reducing single-use items:

Cost taxpayers millions annually to collect from public spaces,
Are prevalent as litter, such as in marine and streetscape environments, and
Are not commonly recycled or reused.

On this webpage, you will find information about regulations that impact Metro Vancouver residents and businesses, and resources to help you reduce single-use items.

Single-use item regulations

Three main regulatory tools are used for single-use item prevention:

Ban – prohibition on the sale or distribution of an item
Fees – requiring fees (retained by retailers) on disposable items to encourage the use of reusable items
By-request – only providing items to customers when a customer asks for, or agrees to receive, them. This includes self-service stations and requests made or accepted electronically (e.g., online by checking a box for the item).

Summary of federal and provincial regulations

A summary of federal and provincial single-use item regulations is below.

Additional details and guidance can be found on the following web pages:

Shopping bags	Shopping bags	<div class="ExternalClass41EEA2DA7ACC4F5A8264816E25821AAD"><p>Shopping bags are bags that are designed to carry goods purchased from a business (e.g., grocery or retail store), typically provided to a customer at the point of sale.</p><table class="uk-table uk-table-small uk-table-divider mv-border-slate mv-table-heading-slate mv-table-border uk-table-striped" style="width:100%;"><thead><tr><th style="width:60%;text-align:center;">Type of shopping bag provided by retailer</th><th style="text-align:center;">Regulation<br></th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td>Plastic (including plastic labelled “compostable” or “biodegradable”)</td><td>Banned<br><span class="mv-text-small">(Effective December 20, 2023)</span><br></td></tr><tr><td>Paper<br></td><td><ul><li>Fee (must charge $0.25 or more)</li><li>40% recycled content</li></ul> <span class="mv-text-small">(Effective July 15, 2024)</span> </td></tr><tr><td>Resuable bags</td><td><ul><li>Fee (must charge $2.00 or more)</li><li>Must be machine washable</li></ul> <span class="mv-text-small">(Effective July 15, 2024)</span> </td></tr></tbody></table> <p>For more information and guidance, visit <a href="https://www2.gov.bc.ca/assets/gov/environment/waste-management/recycling/recycle/shopping_bags_regulation_factsheet.pdf" target="_blank">Single-Use and Plastic Waste Prevention Regulation Guidance: Shopping Bags (gov.bc.ca)</a>.</p><br></div><br>
Cutlery	Cutlery	<div class="ExternalClass397DE5C730354846863EDA974D253ACD"><p>Cutlery includes forks, knives, spoons, chopsticks, and splash plugs.<br></p><table class="uk-table uk-table-small uk-table-divider mv-border-slate mv-table-heading-slate mv-table-border uk-table-striped" style="width:100%;"><thead><tr><th style="width:60%;text-align:center;">Type of cutlery</th><th style="text-align:center;">Regulation<br><span class="mv-text-small">(effective December 20, 2023)</span><br></th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td>Plastic (including plastic labelled “compostable” or “biodegradable”)<br></td><td>Banned</td></tr><tr><td>All other materials</td><td>By-request</td></tr></tbody></table><br></div>
Stir sticks	Stir sticks	<div class="ExternalClass07309ADFD756416CACF48AAF53FB87FE"><table class="uk-table uk-table-small uk-table-divider mv-border-slate mv-table-heading-slate mv-table-border uk-table-striped" style="width:100%;"><thead><tr><th style="width:60%;text-align:center;">Type of stir stick</th><th style="text-align:center;">Regulation<br><span class="mv-text-small">(effective December 20, 2023)</span><br></th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td>Plastic (including plastic labelled “compostable” or “biodegradable”) </td><td>Banned</td></tr><tr><td>All other materials</td><td>By-request</td></tr></tbody></table><br></div>
Disposable accessories	Disposable accessories	<div class="ExternalClass30388EEADCA64994ADB7CD859076952E"><table class="uk-table uk-table-small uk-table-divider mv-border-slate mv-table-heading-slate mv-table-border uk-table-striped" style="width:100%;"><thead><tr><th style="width:60%;text-align:center;">Examples of disposable accessories</th><th style="text-align:center;">Regulation<br><span class="mv-text-small">(effective December 20, 2023)</span></th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td><p>Condiment sachets, garnish (e.g., drink umbrellas, plastic sushi grass), drinking straws, napkins, wet wipes, cup lids, cup sleeves, food or beverage trays.<br></p></td><td>By-request</td></tr></tbody></table><br> <p>For more information and guidance, visit <a href="https://www2.gov.bc.ca/assets/gov/environment/waste-management/recycling/recycle/food_service_accessories_regulation_factsheet.pdf" target="_blank">Single-Use and Plastic Waste Prevention Regulation Guidance: Food Service Accessories (gov.bc.ca)</a></p></div>
Take out containers	Take out containers	<div class="ExternalClass9593F252A79844918242BA40D5FB99F6"><table class="uk-table uk-table-small uk-table-divider mv-border-slate mv-table-heading-slate mv-table-border uk-table-striped" style="width:100%;"><thead><tr><th style="width:60%;text-align:center;">Type of take out container</th><th style="text-align:center;">Regulation<br><span class="mv-text-small">(effective July 15, 2024)</span><br></th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td>Polystyrene foam, #3 plastics PVC, oxo-degradable plastics<br></td><td>Banned</td></tr><tr><td>Plastics labelled “compostable” or “biodegradable”</td><td>Banned<br></td></tr></tbody></table><p>Note: PLA-lined paper products (e.g., coffee cups and soup bowls) are exempt from the regulations. However, Metro Vancouver does not recommend using these products.</p><p>For more information and guidance, visit <a href="https://www2.gov.bc.ca/assets/gov/environment/waste-management/recycling/recycle/food_service_ware_regulation_factsheet.pdf" target="_blank">Single-Use and Plastic Waste Prevention Regulation Guidance: Food Service Ware (gov.bc.ca)</a>.</p><br></div>
Food packaging	Food packaging	<div class="ExternalClass8AD2FC05957C44E9B96A0B143BA09F2B"><p>Including bowls, boxes, cartons, cups, plates, platters, trays, hinged containers, lidded containers, egg cartons and film wrap – used to hold food and drinks that are not intended for immediate consumption.<br></p><table class="uk-table uk-table-small uk-table-divider mv-border-slate mv-table-heading-slate mv-table-border uk-table-striped" style="width:100%;"><thead><tr><th style="width:60%;text-align:center;">Type of food packaging<br></th><th style="text-align:center;">Regulation<br><span class="mv-text-small">(effective July 15, 2024)</span></th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td>Polystyrene foam, #3 plastics PVC, oxo-degradable plastics, or “biodegradable”<br></td><td>Banned</td></tr></tbody></table><br></div>
Oxo-degradable packaging and products	Oxo-degradable packaging and products	<div class="ExternalClassB003BA17BD7C498382BF54C93F09D4A1"><p>Oxo-degradable plastics contain an additive that breaks down through oxidation and fragments into tiny pieces called microplastics.<br></p><table class="uk-table uk-table-small uk-table-divider mv-border-slate mv-table-heading-slate mv-table-border uk-table-striped" style="width:100%;"><thead><tr><th style="width:60%;text-align:center;">Examples of products and packaging <br></th><th style="text-align:center;">Regulation<br><span class="mv-text-small">(effective July 15, 2024)</span><br></th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td>Dog waste bags, dry-cleaning over-bags; tea sachets and garbage bags.<br></td><td>Banned</td></tr></tbody></table><br></div>
Polyvinyl chloride (PVC) film wrap	Polyvinyl chloride (PVC) film wrap	<div class="ExternalClass9F5258D4EB3E459CAC41E49801BF6B1F"><p>Polyvinyl chloride film wrap (cling wrap) will be banned effective July 1, 2028.</p><br></div>
Foam meat trays	Foam meat trays	<div class="ExternalClassCDD9CD02B572496FBB6B9EDD7783DAB4"><p>Foam meat trays, including those labelled “compostable” or “biodegradable,” will be banned effective July 1, 2030.<br></p> <br></div>

Municipal regulations

In Metro Vancouver, the cities of Richmond and Surrey have implemented single-use item reduction bylaws. To see which municipalities in BC have approved bylaws, review Municipal bylaws for single-use plastics.

As a regional district, Metro Vancouver does not have authority to regulate the sale or distribution of single-use items. The Metro Vancouver Board approved a harmonized approach for municipal single-use item reduction bylaws in November 2021. Metro Vancouver and member jurisdictions continue to work on programs and policies to reduce single-use and move toward reuse systems.

Learn more about single-use item reduction in Metro Vancouver on the Single-use items background page.

To find out more about single-use item reduction in your municipality visit Single-use items in my municipality.

Tips and resources

While the regulations themselves are detailed, there are a few simple actions residents and businesses can take to ensure they are compliant.

Residents

The easiest way to comply with single-use item regulations is to use reusable alternatives.

Single-use material/item	Alternative
Shopping or checkout bags	Bring your own reusable bag
Foodservice accessories, like utensils, straws, and stir sticks	Bring your own reusable utensils and straws Only ask for an item if you need it
Foodservice packaging, like containers, bowls, cartons, and cups	Bring your own reusable cup or food-safe container Ask for your order to be put in as few containers as possible Try a cup or container share service
Problematic materials, like plastics labelled “biodegradable” or “compostable”	Use a reusable alternative Choose containers made of materials that you are sure can be recycled, like glass or conventional plastic

Metro Vancouver’s “What’s Your Superhabit?” campaign offers tips to use resuables at home, at work, and on-the-go.

Get tips

Businesses

The proposed waste prevention regulations are using a phased approach to provide businesses time to transition.

Purchasing

The following product and purchasing guidelines are intended to help Metro Vancouver businesses choose cups, containers, and utensils that follow single-use item regulations.

Sustainable Foodservice Purchasing Guide

For more information, contact the Recycling Council of BC who can answer questions specific to your community through the Recyclepedia search, phone, text, chat, or email.

Compliance

For clarification about the regulations and compliance, please contact the relevant regulatory body.

Province

Additional guidance regarding the regulation is being made available on the Plastics webpage.
Any questions for the Ministry regarding the Regulation can be submitted to plastics@gov.bc.ca.

Municipality
- See Single-use items in my municipality for Metro Vancouver member jurisdiction websites and contact information.

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Single-Use Item Regulations