The Fundy Regional Solid Waste Commission will no longer be accepting plastic bags in recycling come March of 2020.
The Commission is also recommending that the Greater Saint John region implement a bylaw banning the use of plastic bags at check-outs and retailers by 2021.
Brenda MacCallum, head of public relations for the Commission, says there just isn’t a market for plastic bags anymore.
“When it comes to plastic bags, we’ve really been struggling. We have more than two years’ worth built up here in our warehouse. That’s more than two transport-truck loads of baled plastic bags. So there’s a huge over-abundance of plastic bags,” she said.
MacCallum says she hopes the changes will reinforce the importance of reducing the use of plastic bags sooner rather than later.
“Try not to accumulate plastic bags. I know it’s difficult and it’s hard to remember to bring in those re-usable bags but that has to be the very first step. If you have too many and you can’t fire-use them, then they would have to go into the garbage,” she said.
MacCallum says its time for the Saint John region to follow in the footsteps of other Atlantic communities that have successfully implemented plastic bag bans, including Moncton and P.E.I.
“Sitting at the commission, we have all of the mayors, and it was a unanimous decision to make that recommendation. At the end of the day, that decision lies with the municipalities,” she said.
The federal government also hopes to impose a national plastic bag ban by 2021.
In New Brunswick, ANBL has already banned single-use plastic bags at its stores. Sobeys stores across the country are also imposing a ban in 2020.
The Fundy Region Solid Waste Commission serves the City of Saint John, Town of Grand Bay-Westfield, Town of Hampton, Town of Quispamsis, Town of Rothesay and Village of St. Martins.
It also serves several local service districts, including Clarendon, Fairfield, Greenwich, Hampton, Kingston, Musquash, Petersville, Rothesay, St. Martins and Simonds.
