Canada lays out rules banning single-use plastics

Canada government has began phasing out six harmful plastics as part of the plan to ban single-use plastics. Photograph: Canadian Press/REX/Shutterstock

Canada laid out its final regulations on Monday spelling out how it intends to apply a ban on plastic bags, straws, takeout containers and other single-use plastics.

“Only 8% of the plastic we throw away gets recycled,” said federal health minister Jean-Yves Duclos in French, adding that 43,000 tonnes of single-use plastics a year find their way into the environment, most notably in waterways.