Reducing Plastic Bag & Polystyrene Container Use

The City of Kingston is considering regulating single-use plastic retail bags and polystyrene take-out containers, and is seeking input from businesses and residents. Your feedback will be compiled into a report that will be presented to the Environment, Infrastructure and Transportation Policies (EITP) Committee in mid-2020.

On Aug. 6, 2019, the EITP Committee recommended that staff prepare for the possibility that Federal or Provincial controls on single-use plastics (SUPs), may not occur and to conduct public engagement and report back with a bylaw or other methods to eliminate SUP retail shopping bags and polystyrene food containers and cups in Kingston by mid-2020.

Many jurisdictions across Canada are in the process of banning or have already banned SUP retail shopping bags among other SUP items such as straws, cutlery, plates etc. These jurisdictions include: Prince Edward Island, Newfoundland and Labrador, Nova Scotia and many municipalities across Ontario, British Columbia, Alberta, Quebec, Manitoba and Saskatchewan.