Whereas businesses are beginning to switch to compostable single-use items for to-go meals and beverages, yet this material is not designed to biodegrade if littered, and is not guaranteed to biodegrade in industrial compost facilities because standards and certifications are not aligned with existing infrastructure that is designed to compost food scraps and yard waste; And whereas local governments are facing increasing pressure to collect and manage this material, yet it is beyond local governments ability to control compostable packaging design or finance the specialized collection and processing infrastructure required for compostable packaging: Therefore be it resolved that the Provincial Government ensure that compostable packaging including single-use take-out food ware distributed in Canada is designed to fully biodegrade if littered in the natural environment, that standards and certifications for compostable packaging are aligned with composting infrastructure, and that compostable single-use items are collected and managed through an extended producer responsibility program that covers the residential and commercial sectors as well as the public realm.
Ministry of Environment and Climate Change Strategy The Province continues to receive feedback on issues related to compostable and biodegradable plastic, including their compostability and recyclability in existing systems and infrastructure, and understands the importance of providing clarity on the issue. The Province has been actively involved in developing a Canada-wide Strategy and Action Plan on Zero Plastic Waste through the Canadian Council of Ministers of the Environment. The Phase 1 Canada-Wide Action Plan on Zero Plastic Waste includes developing new standards for bio-based plastic products e.g., certified compostable packaging and single-use products by December 2021. The Province also has work underway to update the Organic Matter Recycling Regulation, which regulates allowable feedstocks for compost facilities. As part of this, the Ministry of Environment and Climate Change Strategy is looking at what products are permitted as acceptable feedstocks for compost facilities and what standards need to be in place. In addition, the Ministry has asked Recycle BC, as part of their stewardship plan, to develop more practical on-the-ground solutions for compostable plastics.