Replacements for Single-Use Plastic Straws

The Government of Canada has begun the roll-out of its much-anticipated ban on single-use plastic products. On June 22, 2022, the federal government published the Single-use Plastics Prohibition Regulations (the Regulations) under the Canadian Environmental Protection Act, 1999 (CEPA).

The Regulations, which ban many non-essential single-use plastics, come after nearly two years of consultations with provincial and municipal governments, industry and individual Canadians.

Which single-use plastics are banned?

The manufacture, import, export and sale of the following six categories of single-use plastics will be banned by the end of 2025:

• checkout bags

• cutlery

• foodservice ware made from or containing “problematic plastics”[1]

• ring carriers

• stir sticks

• straws

In terms of straws, many companies have turned to paper straws - to much critique from various communities. One reviewer says “the horrible texture, weird taste, and inevitable uselessness are all reasons to avoid them.”

They also include that there are entire Reddit threads dedicated to being anti-paper straws.

Another option on the market is the PLA-compostable straw. The raw material of the product is extracted from corn starch, which is safe, healthy, non-toxic, and harmless. This type of biodegradable plastic straws can be completely composted. The PLA straw is one of the most popular products at present because it is environmentally friendly!