March 10, 2022
As the City continues to take action on climate change, Waste Services is presenting two reports to advance initiatives aimed at reducing waste and diverting it from landfill.
If Edmonton’s Plan to Reduce Single-use Items and bylaw direction are approved by Council, plastic shopping bags, foam containers and “zero-use accessories” could soon be things of the past in Edmonton.
As part of this report, the City recommends:
- Banning single-use plastic shopping bags and imposing a minimum fee on paper shopping bags and new reusable shopping bags;
- Banning foam cups and containers;
- Requiring restaurants to serve dine-in beverage orders in reusable cups and accept reusable customer cups for dine-in and takeout orders (excluding drive through);
- Providing accessories, like utensils, straws, pre-packaged condiments and napkins, by request only.
Through these measures, the City aims to reduce the number of these single-use items (SUI) used in Edmonton by 20 per cent within four years. Restricting the use of SUI and promoting reuse benefit the environment by reducing litter, keeping waste out the landfill, and reducing the emissions required to produce, ship and dispose of these items. Currently, about 450 million SUI are thrown in the garbage each year in Edmonton.
Restaurants and other businesses are also expected to experience long-term savings if the SUI Plan is approved, as they would no longer be automatically supplying customers with costly accessories that will end up in the landfill without being used.
While single-use cups are among the most-littered items and present a significant opportunity to reduce waste, cup fees are not being recommended at this time to avoid disproportionately impacting vulnerable populations.
“Edmonton’s approach to reducing cups will initially focus on reducing barriers, such as increasing the accessibility of reusable cups, before considering a fee,” said Jodi Goebel, Director, Waste Strategy. “It’s crucial to preserve the environment, but we also must keep people in mind.”
To help mitigate the potential impacts of SUI restrictions, Administration is recommending several measures to help support residents, businesses and non-profit organizations as they transition away from the use of single-use items. These include making fees on bags optional for charitable organizations and giving them extra time to phase out foam cups, plates and containers. A grant to help non-profits adapt to the changes is also under development, and additional support programs will be explored following the approval of bylaw provisions.
A second report recommends that the City continue to collect and process waste from residential properties receiving communal (bin) collection, such as apartments and condominiums, and implement mandatory source separation of recycling and food scraps from garbage beginning in 2023. By continuing to manage communal waste collection service, the City can regulate rates, ensure consistent service standards and equity between sites, and measure progress towards the City’s waste diversion goals.
“In order to achieve the goals of the 25-year Waste Strategy, the City must take a multi-pronged approach to both reducing and diverting waste. These two initiatives are our next steps to help keep more waste out of the landfill, where it takes up space and generates harmful greenhouse gas emissions,” said Goebel. “While these programs will require residents to take more responsibility for the waste they produce, they will also benefit Edmontonians now and in the future.”
Both recommendations are the products of extensive research and consultation. They will be presented to Utility Committee on March 25.
