After plastic bags, the city of Montreal now plans to ban all single-use plastics starting in 2020. This will include styrofoam cups and trays, plastic straws and cutlery, and will apply to restaurants and groceries.
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The Slow Decline of Plastic
Mayor Valérie Plante announced the city will hold public consultations ahead of 2020 to determine the best way to phase out single-use plastics. She intends to implement the ban over time to give businesses the chance to adapt and find alternatives.
Compostable or Reusable?
Those alternatives could include single-use compostable containers or reusable, washable plastics.
Compostable containers – usually made from paper or cardboard – are already making their way into restaurants in Montreal and elsewhere. Reusable plastic containers are less popular, likely due to the added cost of washing them.
A spokesperson for the Quebec Restaurants Association told CBC that it’s open to the idea and will participate in the city’s public consultations.