Interesting stats on EVs and energy use in the US, developments in wind and tidal power, a plastic recycling microfactory, and an "unprecedented collapse" in EU fossil fuel generation.
Canadian government announces plans for major grocery stores to shrink their plastic footprint
The new policy will target disposable plastic packaging items such as condiment bottles, clamshell containers, milk bags, and shrink-wrap for produce and meat.
Canada's federal government has announced plans to introduce a policy before the end of the year that will require the country's largest supermarket chains to create and implement plans for drastically reducing the amount of plastic waste created by the products they sell.
The country has already banned the use of single-use plastics such as checkout bags, cutlery, food service ware, stir sticks and straws, which will all be prohibited in Canada after December 20.
Now government representatives are meeting with major grocery chains to discuss a new policy that will target a wide range of disposable plastic packaging, such as condiment bottles, squeezable baby food packets, plastic pet food sacks, clamshell containers, milk bags and shrink-wrap on produce and meat.
According to this CBC article, the regulations will apply to grocery chains, supercentres and warehouses that generate over $4 billion in annual sales. It's not intended to affect independent grocers, specialty food stores, convenience stores, or farmers' markets. Two of the suggestions currently being proposed are requiring at least 75% of all fruits and vegetables to be sold in plastic-free packaging by 2026 and selling more than 50% of all non-perishable items such rice or beans in plastic-free packaging by 2030.
I know the use of plastic is currently ubiquitous across the entire grocery/retail experience... but those two goals seem like relatively easy (and vitally necessary) targets to hit, non?
