Canada is looking to follow the European Union's lead by banning single-use plastics as soon as 2021.
Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau made this announcement on Monday, saying the government will conduct a scientific analysis to determine what "harmful" plastic products the ban should apply to, The New York Times reports.
The European Parliament last year banned 10 single-use plastics, including straws and cutlery, by 2021 in an attempt to fight pollution, CNN reports. Trudeau said Canada's actions will "closely mirror" the European Union's, and although a list of affected products wasn't provided, Trudeau cited water bottles, plastic bags, and straws as being potentially on the table, The Hill reports. An announcement on the prime minister's website also mentioned cutlery, plates, and stir sticks. CBC, which reported on the single-use plastic ban ahead of Trudeau's announcement, additionally mentions cotton swabs and balloon sticks as being affected by the ban.
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Trudeau in his announcement said this move will both be good for the planet and also "result in huge economic gains," noting Canadians throw away $8 billion worth of plastic material each year.
BBC notes that some parts of Canada have already pursued plastic bans, but Trudeau on Monday argued that a "a real solution needs to be nation-wide."
“People have had enough of seeing their parks and beaches covered with plastic,” Trudeau also said. “As parents we're at a point when we take our kids to the beach and we have to search out a patch of sand that isn't littered with straws, Styrofoam or bottles. That's a problem, one that we have to do something about."
