Plastic cutlery banned in Canadian restaurants

Ottawa: The Canadian government banned the restaurants from serving plastic cutlery to customers.

Last year, Canada introduced a law banning the reuse of single-use plastics. The law was to be implemented in a phased manner with the goal of achieving zero plastic waste by 2030.

But in November, a Canadian court ruled in a lawsuit filed by oil and chemical companies that it was ‘unreasonable and unconstitutional’.

The government nevertheless went ahead and asked the court to stay the order striking down the ban and filed an appeal against it, thus banning the manufacture, sale or use in stores of single-use plastics.

According to Ottawa, Canadians throw away 3 million tons of plastic waste every year, including 15 billion plastic bags, of which only nine percent is recycled.

The government said it plans to increase this to 90% in line with European targets by 2029.

“It's found in Canada and around the world, the science is clear, plastic pollution is everywhere. It harms wildlife and the environment,” Environment Minister Steven Guilbolt said in a statement.

A survey conducted by environmental group Oceania Canada found that Canadians strongly support the ban on plastic, while 50 other countries have adopted laws to combat plastic pollution.