North Battleford Mayor Ryan Bater said a national ban on plastics is the preferred model as it could be difficult to enforce locally. (Tyler Marr/battlefordsNOW Staff)

By Tyler Marr

Bater says national plastics ban model prefered, hopes for clear communication from Ottawa

Jun 11, 2019 | 1:41 PM

News of an impending ban from Ottawa on single-use plastics as early as 2021 is the prefered option for North Battleford’s mayor, so long the city has adequate information to adjust.

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau made the announcement this week at a nature reserve outside of Montreal. While he said specific details of the ban still need to be worked out, it is anticipated it the ban will align with products under scrutiny by the European Union. These are items like plastic plates, cutlery, cups, straws, plastic sticks in cotton swabs, balloon sticks and stir sticks, and Styrofoam cups and take-out food containers.

Trudeau said the government will work with provinces and territories to introduce standards and targets for companies that manufacture plastic products or sell items with plastic packaging so they become responsible for their plastic waste.

Bater said the national ban is the preferred model for many communities in Canada, as local enforcement would prove problematic.

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“The difficulty for a municipality is, while a ban on single-use plastics may seem like a right and easy thing to, at the local level, it is difficult to enforce and has an impact on business and the consumer,” he said.

Stemming the seemingly endless flow of plastic into landfills and oceans has received heightened attention as of late at home and abroad.

In mid-May, Grade 6 students from École Monseigneur Blaise Morand appealed the city for movement on the file. Bater promised to speak with his fellow Saskatchewan mayors on the subject and did the next day, where he was informed many were having the same conversations.

Later in May, the city called on residents to be more stringent with what they are placing in recycling bins, after a report found too many people are placing non-recyclable items in the recycling bin, contaminating loads.

The topic also had eyes cast upon it at the Federation of Canadian Municipalities annual conference in Quebec City during a session called the Plastics Conundrum. The talk centred around the devastating impact of plastic on the environment and what municipalities can do to help on the frontline. Following the discussion, calls were made for a national, or at least provincial, strategy on plastics.

“It is interesting one week later to hear the prime minister is announcing there will be a federal ban on single-use plastics,” Bater said.

Asked how the city will or can prepare, Bater admits there will be plenty of work required, another plus for a national strategy, as work will need to be undertaken with producers of single-use plastics, retailers and those in the food industry to help them transition.

It is yet to be determined if the ban could help cash-strapped cities manage their landfills or bring any form of cost savings. In the wake of the report on poor recycling compliance, Bater said the city is currently auditing random trash bins to see how much recyclable material is not going into the bin.

Bater’s main worry with the ban is ensuring the city’s waste management processes will be ready.

“We hope for enough communication from the federal government to be able to [prepare],” he said. “The devastating impact of plastics on the environment is hard to dispute. At a local level, it is a difficult thing to implement. A ban is a difficult thing to enforce and this really helps across the country to have a single national strategy.”

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tyler.marr@jpbg.ca

On Twitter: @JournoMarr