EXPLANATORY NOTE

The Bill amends the Resource Recovery and Circular Economy Act, 2016 by requiring the Minister to amend the Strategy described in section 3 of the Act to include a plan that identifies measurable targets and sets out timelines for the immediate reduction and eventual elimination of the distribution and supply of single-use plastics in Ontario and that requires the immediate elimination of certain single-use plastics. Section 5 of the Act is amended to require the Minister to publish a progress report with respect to the immediate reduction and eventual elimination of the distribution and supply of single-use plastics in Ontario at least once a year until the Minister is of the opinion that the distribution and supply of single-use plastics have been eliminated in Ontario.

Bill 82 2019

An Act to amend the Resource Recovery and Circular Economy Act, 2016

Her Majesty, by and with the advice and consent of the Legislative Assembly of the Province of Ontario, enacts as follows:

1 Section 1 of the Resource Recovery and Circular Economy Act, 2016 is amended by adding the following definitions:

“reuse” does not include the use of discarded plastic items as fuel for energy-from-waste facilities; (“réutilisation”)

“single-use plastics” means prescribed plastic products that are typically used once and then discarded and not recycled or reused and does not include any thing prescribed as excluded; (“produits plastiques jetables”)

2 Section 2 of the Act is amended by adding the following clause:

(p.1) eliminate the distribution and supply of single-use plastics in Ontario by 2025;

3 Section 3 of the Act is amended by adding the following subsection:

Single-use plastics

(2.1)  Within one year after the day on which the Single-Use Plastics Ban Act, 2019 receives Royal Assent, the Minister shall,

  (a)  amend the Strategy to include a plan that,

           (i)  identifies measurable targets and sets out timelines for the immediate reduction and eventual elimination of the distribution and supply of single-use plastics in Ontario,

          (ii)  requires the immediate elimination of,

                 (A)  plastic straws and drink stirrers,

                 (B)  expanded polystyrene foam food and beverage containers,

                 (C)  plastic bags,

                 (D)  items made from oxo-degradable or oxo-fragmentable plastics,

                 (E)  disposable coffee cups,

                 (F)  plastic water bottles intended for a single-use, and

                 (G)  any other single-use plastics that, in the opinion of the Minister, should be eliminated immediately, and

         (iii)  may provide for transitional matters with respect to the implementation of the plan; and

  (b)  publish the amended Strategy on a website of the Government of Ontario.

4 Section 5 of the Act is amended by adding the following subsection:

Progress reports re single-use plastics

(2)  Despite subsection (1), at least once a year until the Minister is of the opinion that the distribution and supply of single-use plastics have been eliminated in Ontario, the Minister shall prepare a report setting out the following and publish it on a website of the Government of Ontario:

    1.  A description of actions that have been taken during the period covered by the report to address the Strategy’s goals with respect to the immediate reduction and eventual elimination of the distribution and supply of single-use plastics in Ontario.

    2.  A description of progress made in achieving the Strategy’s goals with respect to the immediate reduction and eventual elimination of the distribution and supply of single-use plastics in Ontario, as assessed by the performance measures established under paragraph 3 of section 4.

Commencement

5 This Act comes into force on the day it receives Royal Assent.

Short title

6 The short title of this Act is the Single-Use Plastics Ban Act, 2019.