Amendments to the Environmental Protection Act were introduced today that will allow the Provincial Government to draft regulations to ban the distribution of retail plastic bags.

From March 5 to 27, the Provincial Government conducted public consultations to gauge interest in a ban of retail plastic bags and to determine the potential impacts of a ban. Consultations data indicated that 87 per cent were in favour of a ban.

The public engagement process provided valuable information that government will use to inform drafting of the regulations. The regulations will address such considerations as: how long businesses and industry will need to adjust to the change; what types of alternatives people will have available instead of the plastic retail bags; whether to require a fee on alternatives to limit their overconsumption; and which exceptions are required.

The Provincial Government appreciates the efforts of the many individuals, businesses, and communities that have already reduced their use of these bags. As it is anticipated to take between six and 12 months before the ban is fully implemented, residents will have time to get accustomed to bringing reusable bags along when shopping and businesses can begin looking at offering alternatives to plastic retail bags.

To address the broader category of packaging, the Provincial Government and the Multi-Materials Stewardship Board are working toward establishing an extended producer responsibility program for the management of packaging and printed paper as a long-term strategy. This builds on the province’s ongoing work with the Canadian Council of Ministers of the Environment to develop the zero plastic waste strategy as part of the Ocean Plastics Charter.

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“The consultations we conducted in March indicate the strength of Newfoundlanders and Labradorians convictions: they do not want plastic bags to be distributed at retail locations. To protect the environment and improve the waste management system, we have introduced amendments to the legislation that will allow us to draft regulations to ban the retail plastic bag.”
Honourable Graham Letto
Minister of Municipal Affairs and Environment

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Learn more
What We Heard during Consultations on Plastic Bag 

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Media contact
Lynn Robinson
Municipal Affairs and Environment
709-729-5449, 691-9466
lynnrobinson@gov.nl.ca