WHEREAS there is excessive and wasteful packaging that ends up in the garbage; AND WHEREAS the producers rather than the taxpayers should fund the recycling of this packaging: THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that the Union of British Columbia Municipalities request that the provincial and federal governments mandate reduction of excessive packaging through product stewardship recycling programs, including materials such as plastic shopping bags, disposable cups and dishes, styrofoam packing, bubble wrap packing and plastic film packaging.
Ministry of Environment It is the Government of British Columbias Government policy to place the onus for end-of-life product management on the producer and consumers of a product, and not the general taxpayer or local government. In 2004, the Government enacted the Recycling Regulation to facilitate industry-led product stewardship in the Province of British Columbia Province. The regulation currently applies to products such as electronics, tires, beverage containers milk containers are currently exempted, lubricating oil, pharmaceuticals, paint, pesticides, gasoline, solvents and flammable liquids. At the current time, packaging is not regulated under the Recycling Regulation, although some packaging is collected and recycled through municipal blue-box systems. However, work that addresses this resolution is underway. The Ministry of Environment is working with the Canadian Council of Environment Ministers to develop a priority list of further products that could be included under product stewardship regulations. The list will include packaging materials.