Comprehensive Provincial Single-Use Item Reduction Strategy

Whereas the British Columbia extended producer responsibility EPR program for packaging and printed paper currently provides recycling collection for single-use items generated by the residential sector, but does not yet focus on reduction or reuse, or cover single-use items that are compostable or disposed of at businesses or in the public realm; And whereas inter-municipal differences in policy for single-use items make it challenging for businesses to comply with multiple regulations, and the business community has expressed a strong desire for harmonization and consistent regulation for single-use items on the broadest possible scale: Therefore be it resolved that the provincial government adopt a provincial single-use item reduction strategy for single-use items that is parallel to or integrated with provincial EPR policy, emphasizes reduction and reuse, covers single-use items generated by all sectors and made of all material types, and would include but not necessarily be limited to plastic and paper shopping bags, disposable drink cups, take-out containers, straws and utensils, but would exclude all single-use items needed for medical use or accessibility needs.