B.C. Liquor Stores to ditch plastic bags for paper starting next month

Your bottle of Sauvignon andcans of craft beer will now be bagged in paper bags instead of plastic at all B.C. Liquor Stores.

The B.C. government has selectedRichmond-based bag manufacturer Bulldog Bag to providepaper bags to all 197 locations owned and operated by the province.

Vancouver Island stores will first make the switch on Nov. 25, followed by Metro Vancouver on Feb. 3, 2020. The rest of the province will convert by March 9, 2020.

The province says the switch is meant to curb growing plastic pollution, fuelled by single-useplastics. The B.C. Liquor Distribution Branch distributes about 22 million plastic bags per year to B.C. Liquor Stores throughout the province.

"Too often, single-use plastics end up polluting our oceans, waterways, parks and forests," B.C. Attorney General David Eby said in a statement.

"At a minimum, the action taken today will mean that there will be 22 million fewer plastic bags in the landfill."

The province will charge 10 cents per paper bag to encourage customers to bring their own reusable bags. Municipalities can choose to charge more if they want.

Stores will also give out one free reusable bags per customer for a limited time.

Bags 100 per cent compostable

The paper bags willhave the strength to withstand a load of 7.5 kilograms about six bottlesof wine or a six-pack of beer and two bottles of wine.

The bags will contain at least 40 per cent recycled content and are 100 per cent recyclable and compostable.

The initiative comes after the B.C. government sought public feedback in thefall on actions to fight plastic waste, including aproposal to ban single-use plastics.

The Trudeau government intends to ban single-use plastics as early as 2021.

Salmon Arm, Tofinoand Saanich have already introduced bans, while Victoria intends to challenge a B.C. Court of Appeal decision quashing its plastic bag ban.

Richmond Mayor Malcolm Brodie said he's proud to have a local business provide the paper bags provincewide.

"This effort to switch to paper fromplasticis a big step toward protecting the environment and fits in well with our efforts through the National Zero Waste Council to advance waste prevention," he said in a statement.