Reducing the Distribution of Single-use Shopping Bags: A Resource Guide for BC Retailers

Canadians use between approximately nine and 15 billion plastic bags every year. If tied together, this would be enough bags to circle the Earth more than 55 times. Over two million plastic shopping bags are disposed of in the garbage every week in the City of Vancouver, with 63% of them becoming reused for garbage and pet waste.

Concerns about the environmental impact of single-use shopping bags has led several municipalities to introduce or examine bans on plastic shopping bags, including the City of Victoria, the City of Vancouver and the City of Halifax. A proactive way to respond to these concerns would be to reduce the number of single-use shopping bags that are distributed by retailers, and maximize the reuse and recycling of bags that are taken away by customers.