The City is working with the community to transition towards sustainable, reusable checkout bags, and away from the common and wasteful single-use plastic bag.
Why is this important?
Victoria residents take home approximately 17 million plastic bags each year, many of which end up in our landfill, local waterways, and on our beaches. The single-use plastic bag can be seen as a symbol of wasteful consumer behaviour, and one that consumes valuable resources and poses risks to our land and marine ecosystems.
Plastics make up over 15% of all landfill waste, of which two-thirds are single-use plastic bags, plastic film and plastic packaging waste. Efforts to reduce plastic waste can have a big, positive impact. By simply using our own sustainable, reusable bags, we can avoid the harmful effects imposed by plastic that quickly becomes waste after only a few uses.
What is happening now?
The City is engaging local stakeholders to better understand the benefits, barriers, concerns and success stories related to a reduction of single-use checkout bags (plastic and paper). Much of the discussion thus far has focussed on the potential ban of single-use plastic bags, and a subsequent charge for single-use paper bags, to help shift towards reusable bags.
We want to hear from you!
- What do you think about the City implementing a ban or a fee on single-use checkout bags (plastic and paper)?
- If you’re a business that has taken actions to reduce plastic bags, let us know and we’ll share your green efforts with the community!
You are invited to attend an Open House and Town Hall
Date: Wednesday, October 18, 2017
Time: Open House from 6:30 p.m. – 7 p.m. and a Town Hall 7 p.m. – 8:30 p.m.
Location: Victoria City Hall, 1 Centennial Square, Victoria BC
Come talk to staff, ask questions and share your thoughts with Council. Your feedback will help form recommendations for Council to consider regarding the regulation of single-use checkout bags planned for October 26, 2017. Can’t make it in person? Send your feedback to engage@victoria.ca
What can a business do to help reduce plastic bag use?
Here are a few ideas for businesses to consider, even before any action is taken by the City:
- Always ask the question: A bag might not even be needed. A mandatory question at the till will also get your customer to consider their need for a single-use bag
- Create incentives: Offer benefits or incentive for those who bring in their own bags
- Charge for bags: Fees could help customers consider going bag-less next time
- Bag exchange: Set up a free, reusable bag donation program to put surplus reusable bags in the hands of those that need them.
For more information and up to date information visit us at: victoria.ca/reusablebags
