Single-use Item Reduction

Main page content begins here

Edmonton’s Single-use Item Reduction Bylaw (20117) helps reduce waste by targeting items such as shopping bags, cups and straws that can easily be avoided or replaced with reusable options. The goal is to reduce single-use items, not to switch from plastic items to non-plastic items.

Unpacking Bag Fees

As of July 1, paper bags cost at least 25 cents, and new reusable bags cost at least $2.

A Few Things to Know about Bag Fees

Businesses keep these fees to help offset costs
Customers can avoid the fees by bringing their own bags (or avoiding a bag)
Free reusable bags are available at the Reuse Centre or at any Goodwill location in Edmonton
Some stores have “take a bag/leave a bag” stations, where customers can get free reusable bags or leave bags they no longer need
The fee increase as of July 1, 2024 was planned and approved as part of the Single-use Items Bylaw
Charging a fee for shopping bags is a successful practice used to reduce waste in cities like San Francisco, Victoria and Banff
A minimum fee of 25 cents for a paper shopping bag is common, as lower fees have been shown to result in slower behaviour change
The higher fee for reusable bags reflects the higher environmental cost of producing and shipping them, compared to paper. However, some reusable bags can have a positive environmental impact after as few as 11 uses
Many stores offer lower-waste options for grocery pickup and delivery (such as bag opt-out or delivery in repurposed boxes). Check with your store

Businesses and Events

My business or event uses single-use items and I want to know how the bylaw applies to me.

Charities and Exempt Organizations

I want more information on what does and doesn't apply to me.

What Do I Need to Know About the Bylaw?

Watch on YouTube to use translated captions.

The bylaw addresses these items:

Shopping Bags

As of July 1, 2024, minimum fees for shopping bags increased to 25 cents for a paper bag and $2 for a new reusable bag. Businesses will continue to charge GST where required.

Single-use plastic shopping bags (including compostable or biodegradable plastic shopping bags) can no longer be distributed. Businesses must charge a minimum fee for paper shopping bags and new reusable shopping bags (including those provided by restaurants for take-out orders).

Note: Businesses keep these fees.

The fee serves 2 purposes:

To encourage customers to bring their own bags
To help businesses recover the cost of the bags

The bylaw does not apply to bags used for containing these types of items:

All types of bulk items, from candy to screws
Produce, baked goods and other unpackaged foods
Medications from a pharmacist
Any wrapping that is in direct contact with food, such as burger wrappers and fry boxes

It also does not apply to bags used solely to protect dry cleaned clothes, newspapers, plants and other types of items that might become dirty or unusable from exposure.

Learn more about skipping the bag.

Foam (“Styrofoam”) Plates, Cups and Containers

These items can no longer be used.

Cups

Restaurants are expected to serve dine-in drink orders in reusable cups and have a written policy for accepting reusable customer cups.

Reusable cups are made from durable materials like metal, ceramic or hard plastic, and can withstand repeated washing, sanitizing and use.

Drive-thrus are encouraged, but not required, to accept reusable cups. If you feel it would not be safe or sanitary to fill a customer’s own reusable cup, you can politely refuse it.

Some restaurants hold food handling permits that require single-use cups. These permits must be posted in a visible location.

Foodware Accessories

Accessories such as utensils, straws, condiment packets and napkins will only be available by request or self-serve.

Federal Exemption for Single-use Plastic Flexible Straws
To ensure accessibility, Canada’s Single-use Plastics Prohibition Regulations allow the manufacture, import and sale of flexible straws under certain conditions. Learn more about the federal regulation.

How Does the Bylaw Apply to Drive-thrus?

Restaurant employees should ask every customer the following questions:

Do you need a bag?

If customers do not want a bag, the restaurant should have a procedure in place to provide the customer’s order without using a bag, for example, by using a tray or container
If customers do want a bag, the minimum fee must be charged for each bag

Do you need straws, napkins, utensils or condiments?

Restaurant staff should only provide these items if the customer wants them

Restaurants are not required to accept reusable cups at drive-thrus, but are encouraged to do so. If you feel it would not be safe or sanitary to fill a customer’s own reusable cup, you can politely refuse.

woman at drive-thru window

What are the Benefits of the Bylaw?

Environmental Benefits

Asking businesses and customers to use fewer single-use items means:

Fewer of these items—cups, straws, shopping bags, condiment packets and more—will be thrown in the garbage or littered
Reduced emissions from the production, shipping and disposal of these items

Through these measures, the City aims to reduce the number of regulated single-use items used in Edmonton by 20% per person within 4 years.

Benefits to Businesses

Several bylaw regulations can save businesses money:

Providing items like disposable cutlery, straws and condiment packets only upon request ensures businesses aren’t paying for unnecessary items
Serving dine-in beverages in reusable cups can save businesses about 20 cents per beverage served
Charging the minimum fee for paper and reusable bags will help you to offset the higher cost of these items. Businesses will keep the revenue from bag fees

Learn more about the bylaw and how it applies to businesses and events.

Safe Use of Reusable Items

Businesses following proper health and safety protocols can safely use reusable items. Each year in Edmonton, about 91 million single-use cups are thrown in the garbage. There is a huge opportunity to reduce waste by bringing your own reusable cup!

Be sure to wash your reusable mugs and containers between uses, and visit the business information page to learn more about what businesses can do to ensure reusable items are used safely.

For more information, please review Alberta Health Services’ Practices that Support the Safe Use of Reusable Food Containers.

Canada’s Single-use Plastics Prohibition

In November, the Federal Court issued a ruling overturning the federal government’s Ministerial Order designating all plastic manufactured items to be “toxic substances” under the Canadian Environmental Protection Act (CEPA). This ruling has raised questions about the federal Single-use Plastics Prohibition Regulations.

The City has its own bylaw to help reduce single-use items made out of all materials, not just plastic. Edmonton’s Single-use Item Reduction Bylaw remains in effect. It is not affected by the Federal Court’s decision.

Here’s why:

The federal court decision is limited to the actions of a federal government Minister in relation to a federal law
The Single-use Item Bylaw is a type of provincial legislation passed by Edmonton’s City Council under the authority of Alberta’s Municipal Government Act (MGA), which authorizes the City to pass bylaws for many purposes, including regulating businesses and protecting the environment
The Single-use Item Bylaw has no relation to federal law-making powers. It exists separate from the federal plastic prohibition rules.

Quick Reference

Comparing Canada’s Single-use Plastics Regulations with Bylaw 20117
For detailed information about the Government of Canada’s regulations, please see the Technical Guidelines.

Bags

Edmonton SUI Bylaw 20117

Film plastic shopping bags are banned.

Minimum fee required for paper and new reusable shopping bags.

Federal Regulations

Non-fabric plastic shopping bags are banned.

Stir sticks

Edmonton SUI Bylaw 20117

Regulated as a “foodware accessory”.

Stir sticks of any material available by request only.

Federal Regulations

Plastic stir sticks are banned.

Straws

Edmonton SUI Bylaw 20117

Regulated as a “foodware accessory”.

Straws of any material available by request only.

Federal Regulations

Plastic straws are banned.

There are some exemptions including flexible plastic straws sold in packages.

Food serviceware

Edmonton SUI Bylaw 20117

Foam cups, plates, bowls and containers are banned.

Other types of plastics/materials not addressed by the bylaw.

Federal Regulations

Foam clamshell containers, lidded containers, boxes, cups, plates and bowls used to hold ready-to-consume food are banned.

Cutlery

Edmonton SUI Bylaw 20117

Regulated as a “foodware accessory”.

Cutlery of any material available by request only.

Federal Regulations

Single-use cutlery made from some plastics is banned.

Flexible ring carriers

Edmonton SUI Bylaw 20117

Not included in the bylaw.

Federal Regulations

Flexible plastic ring carriers are banned as of June 20, 2024.

Cups

Edmonton SUI Bylaw 20117

Dine-in drinks are expected to be served in reusable cups.

Restaurants must have a policy for accepting customers’ cups for drinks to go.

Federal Regulations

Not included in federal regulations.

Bylaw Complaints

Edmonton businesses holding retail or food/beverage service business licences are required to comply with the Single-use Item Reduction Bylaw, with some exceptions.

If complaints are received about non-compliance with the bylaw, the City will first respond using direct outreach and education. If a business can demonstrate it is working towards compliance within a reasonable timeframe, it’s unlikely to receive a warning or a fine.

You can help support waste reduction in Edmonton by calling 311 if you notice a business is not complying with the bylaw. Your name will not be shared.

Single-use Item Reduction

A Few Things to Know about Bag Fees

The bylaw addresses these items:

How Does the Bylaw Apply to Drive-thrus?

What are the Benefits of the Bylaw?

Safe Use of Reusable Items

Quick Reference

Edmonton SUI Bylaw 20117

Federal Regulations

Edmonton SUI Bylaw 20117

Federal Regulations

Edmonton SUI Bylaw 20117

Federal Regulations

Edmonton SUI Bylaw 20117

Federal Regulations

Edmonton SUI Bylaw 20117

Federal Regulations

Edmonton SUI Bylaw 20117

Federal Regulations

Edmonton SUI Bylaw 20117

Federal Regulations

Bylaw Complaints

Additional Resources

Single-use Items Plan