Plastic waste

Food is packaged into a polystyrene foam box in Honolulu in a Thursday, March 14, 2019 file photo. Restaurants have been going through months of trial and error in preparation for the phase-in of a federal plastics ban that will eventually aim to remove many single-use plastics, such as takeout containers, from the market altogether. THE CANADIAN PRESS/AP-Audrey McAvoy

Restaurants debut new takeout ware amid phase-in of single-use plastics ban

Recyclable fibre lids, bamboo cutlery and paper straws among alternatives being tested out

 

Paper straws are seen at a market in Montreal on Thursday, June 13, 2019. Canada’s ban on the manufacture and import for sale of some plastic items, including grocery bags and straws, has taken effect.THE CANADIAN PRESS/Paul Chiasson

Manufacturing, importing straws and other single-use plastics now banned

Plastic checkout bags, cutlery, stir sticks, straws and takeout containers can’t be made in Canada

 

FILE - A swan stands between dumped plastic bottles and waste at the Danube river in Belgrade, Serbia, April 18, 2022. (AP Photo/Darko Vojinovic, File)

Watchdog group casts doubt on Amazon’s claims of reducing plastic

Oceana estimates Amazon’s plastic waste jumped from 599 million pounds in 2020 to 709 million

 

Federal Minister of Environment and Climate Change Steven Guilbeault, announces the ban of single-use plastics, at a beach, on Monday, June 20, 2022 in Quebec City. Federal Health Minister Jean-Yves Duclos, behind, looks on. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Jacques Boissinot

New stats suggest Canadians already kicking some plastic habits as national ban looms

By Dec. 20, it will no longer be legal to manufacture or import most plastic shopping bags or straws

Federal Minister of Environment and Climate Change Steven Guilbeault, announces the ban of single-use plastics, at a beach, on Monday, June 20, 2022 in Quebec City. Federal Health Minister Jean-Yves Duclos, behind, looks on. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Jacques Boissinot
Ocean lovers gather for a beach clean of Cox Bay in Tla-o-qui-aht First Nation territory on Sept. 17. (Nora O’Malley photo)

Surfrider Canada and Reef host International Coastal Cleanup Day in Tofino

About 60 volunteers pitched in for a cleanup of Cox Bay on Sept. 17

Ocean lovers gather for a beach clean of Cox Bay in Tla-o-qui-aht First Nation territory on Sept. 17. (Nora O’Malley photo)
Laska Pare, founder and CEO of Flipside Plastics, with the Victoria company’s first soap dish model, made from coffee lids that were discarded at local cafes. (Courtesy of Flipside Plastics)

Global plastic waste leads to Victoria company’s upcycled soap dish

Flipside Plastics is gearing up to release its new and improved model this fall

Laska Pare, founder and CEO of Flipside Plastics, with the Victoria company’s first soap dish model, made from coffee lids that were discarded at local cafes. (Courtesy of Flipside Plastics)
Nulla’s reusable glass that’s been used at some Greater Victoria markets. The City of Victoria will create a new section in its 20-year economic plan and aims to become a national leader in the circular economy. (Photo courtesy of The Nulla Project)

Victoria looks to be a national leader in the circular economy

City incorporating the low-waste lens into its economic strategy for climate, waste, business goals

Nulla’s reusable glass that’s been used at some Greater Victoria markets. The City of Victoria will create a new section in its 20-year economic plan and aims to become a national leader in the circular economy. (Photo courtesy of The Nulla Project)
Plastic straws are pictured in Vancouver on Monday, June 4, 2018. More than two dozen plastic makers are asking the Federal Court to put an end to Ottawa’s plan to ban several single-use plastic items including straws, cutlery and takeout containers. THE CANADIAN PRESS Jonathan Hayward

Plastics producers ask court to quash planned federal ban on single-use straws, cups

Feds using Environmental Protection Act to ban the sale, import and production of six plastic items

Plastic straws are pictured in Vancouver on Monday, June 4, 2018. More than two dozen plastic makers are asking the Federal Court to put an end to Ottawa’s plan to ban several single-use plastic items including straws, cutlery and takeout containers. THE CANADIAN PRESS Jonathan Hayward
Kieran Cox enters the water near Victoria’s Inner Harbour to collect fish and invertebrates for a study on how microplastics move through marine food webs. (Courtesy of Hailey Davies)

Study dives into microplastic movement in Vancouver Island marine food webs

Wide variety of species ingest microplastics, but biomagnification not found

Kieran Cox enters the water near Victoria’s Inner Harbour to collect fish and invertebrates for a study on how microplastics move through marine food webs. (Courtesy of Hailey Davies)
As plastic continues to pollute the ocean, Oceana Canada is calling on the government action (credit Oceana Canada/Elemental).

Plastic predicament: Federal group urges action on packaging legislation in Canada

Oceana Canada is calling on the government to reduce the amount of harmful single-use plastics

As plastic continues to pollute the ocean, Oceana Canada is calling on the government action (credit Oceana Canada/Elemental).
Burnaby vet technician Jocelyn Marsh shows off part of her pill bottle return program. (Jane Skrypnek/Black Press Media)

B.C. veterinarian has plan to eliminate millions of pieces of plastic from Canadian clinics

Very simple changes can have a large impact if adopted broadly, Jocelyn Marsh says

Burnaby vet technician Jocelyn Marsh shows off part of her pill bottle return program. (Jane Skrypnek/Black Press Media)
The move to ban single-use plastics will prevent 33 billion units of forks, bags, six-pack rings and other plastics from landfills. (Photo by THE CANADIAN PRESS)

Single-use plastic ban a ‘monumental’ step in protecting Canada’s oceans: advocate

Canada is planning phased-in ban on the manufacture, import, sale and export of plastics

The move to ban single-use plastics will prevent 33 billion units of forks, bags, six-pack rings and other plastics from landfills. (Photo by THE CANADIAN PRESS)
A Victoria bylaw that’s in the works will aim to protect the city’s natural environment from the 75,000 single-use items being thrown away every day in the capital. (Black Press Media file photo)

Victoria’s single-use plastics bylaw decision will likely fall to next council

Victoria bylaw expected to come to council in the fall

A Victoria bylaw that’s in the works will aim to protect the city’s natural environment from the 75,000 single-use items being thrown away every day in the capital. (Black Press Media file photo)
Bioform’s Rami Younes (right) and Jordan MacKenzie (left) showing a sheet of the bioplastic. (Credit: Kai Jacobson/UBC Applied Science)

UBC scientists aim to put plastic in the past with 2 new inventions

Biodegradable product could replace plastic, unique coating could extend its life

Bioform’s Rami Younes (right) and Jordan MacKenzie (left) showing a sheet of the bioplastic. (Credit: Kai Jacobson/UBC Applied Science)
Trash collected during a 2019 cleanup and brand audit at Kitsilano Beach on Coast Salish Territory, Vancouver, B.C. being sorted by volunteers. The cleanup was hosted by Surfrider Vancouver. (Photo courtesy of Greenpeace Canada)

B.C. watches as California subpoenas plastic industry over waste, alleged deception

UVic law expert says recycling used by plastic producers to deceive public

Trash collected during a 2019 cleanup and brand audit at Kitsilano Beach on Coast Salish Territory, Vancouver, B.C. being sorted by volunteers. The cleanup was hosted by Surfrider Vancouver. (Photo courtesy of Greenpeace Canada)
Victoria will create a bylaw aiming to reduce the amount of single-use plastics being used in the city. (Photo by THE CANADIAN PRESS)

Cup fee eyed as coming Victoria bylaw will look to reduce single-use plastics

Bylaw expected to make businesses only give out plastic items upon request, use reusable dishware

Victoria will create a bylaw aiming to reduce the amount of single-use plastics being used in the city. (Photo by THE CANADIAN PRESS)
Visitors and locals can help reduce their own plastic consumption by carrying re-usable cutlery sets like these ones available at the Tourism Tofino Cox Bay Visitor Centre. (Nora O’Malley photo)

Tofino 1st in B.C. to ban single-use plastic cutlery

The amended bylaw includes banning plastic spoons, forks, knives, chopsticks and stir sticks

Visitors and locals can help reduce their own plastic consumption by carrying re-usable cutlery sets like these ones available at the Tourism Tofino Cox Bay Visitor Centre. (Nora O’Malley photo)
Oceans director Hen van Dalen talks about the proof of their technology upon the return of Ocean Cleanup’s vessels to Ogden Point Wednesday, Oct. 20. (Kiernan Green/News Staff)

Ocean Cleanup makes first dent in eradicating Great Pacific Garbage Patch

Victoria in the running as company looks for a base of operations to meet their 2040 goal

Oceans director Hen van Dalen talks about the proof of their technology upon the return of Ocean Cleanup’s vessels to Ogden Point Wednesday, Oct. 20. (Kiernan Green/News Staff)
Oceans Cleanup CEO and founder Bayon Slat speaks to the crowd in front of their vessel’s crew members on Wednesday, Oct. 20. (Kiernan Green/News Staff)

Ocean Cleanup returns to B.C. with its first dent out of the Great Pacific Garbage Patch

Victoria in the running as company looks for a base of operations to meet its 2040 goal

Oceans Cleanup CEO and founder Bayon Slat speaks to the crowd in front of their vessel’s crew members on Wednesday, Oct. 20. (Kiernan Green/News Staff)
Joost Dubois, Ocean Cleanup’s head of communications, at Ogden Point on Sept. 8. (Jake Romphf/News Staff)

Ocean Cleanup stops in Victoria to restock for next plastics hunt

Organization testing its new collection system at the Great Pacific Garbage Patch

Joost Dubois, Ocean Cleanup’s head of communications, at Ogden Point on Sept. 8. (Jake Romphf/News Staff)
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