Canada’s environment minister Steven Guilbeault and his department are making recommendations in light of the upcoming single-use plastic ban imposed by the Trudeau government, set to come into effect in 2024.
It is estimated that the ban will cost $204 million in its first year only.
In a recent report titled Guidance For Selecting Alternatives To Single Use Plastics, the Trudeau government recommends that businesses serve foods that are easily eaten with hands instead of cutlery.
“Businesses should consider giving the customers the option to specify whether they require single use cutlery at all”, the report reads.
“Businesses could also consider providing more meal options that do not require the use of cutlery, e.g. wraps and sandwiches”, it adds.
“In some cases the need for stir sticks can be eliminated by redesigning how beverages are served,” the report read about stir sticks. “For example some drinks can be pre-mixed and stirred before reaching the customer”.
In regards to plastic straws, the report reads that “some companies have designed lids that make it easier to consume a beverage without a straw”, in reference to new “strawless lids” that are often widely unpopular with the public.
