Montreal Is Going To Ban More Plastics

On Wednesday, the Montreal city council executive committee approved a plan to ban more single-use plastics and become zero-waste by 2030. The Plan directeur de gestion des matières résiduelles 2020-2025 de l'agglomération de Montréal (PDGMR), is a series of ambitious targets to make the city completely zero waste in the next decade. Including the plastic ban, the city hopes to ramp up composting efforts, divert 85% of waste from landfills, and engage the public to reduce their residential waste.

A city bylaw to limit certain plastics is already being drafted, according to a Montreal executive committee press attaché. 

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Further plastic bans will come after public consultation.

"Over the past two years, we have demonstrated the seriousness with which we are fighting climate change and leading our ecological transition," said Laurence Lavigne Lalonde, member of the executive committee responsible for ecological transition. 

"By tabling the PDGMR, we reiterate our intention to continue our efforts to fight against climate change and protect the environment for generations to come."

She says the public has "sounded the alarm on the importance, particularly in this context of the health crisis, of continuing our efforts to reduce plastic and reduce residual material at the source."

At the core of the city's plan is an effort to limit waste "at the source" by banning certain single-use plastics, reducing the impact of weekly circular flyers, and supporting community-based plastic reduction initiatives.  

The city also plans to revamp and modernize its composting efforts by constructing a brand-new composting facility by 2021 and then a biomethane facility by 2022. 

At the municipal level, the city will provide compost collection for buildings of more than nine dwellings, businesses, and schools. 

"To date, great progress has been made by the Montreal agglomeration. However, there remains a lot to do," said Mayor Valérie Plante.

"To achieve this, we have made ecological transition one of our top priorities and we are committed to continuing the work by putting in place bold and innovative new measures."