Waste Reduction Strategies

Single-use Items Reduction Strategy

In 2022, Guelph Council approved phase 1 of the Single-Use Items (SUI) Reduction Strategy, which banned plastic shopping bags and polystyrene foam containers and cups. As part of phase 2, Council directed staff to collect feedback from the community about paying fees for disposable cups and reusable bags.

As a part of Phase 2 of the SUI Reduction Strategy which emphasizes encouraging sustainable behavior among residents and implementing procedural changes in businesses to decrease single-use item waste, an additional survey was conducted in Q1 of 2024. This survey asked food-service businesses about their practices and support of single-use items waste reduction. Drawing from the survey results, industry trends, and municipal best practices, City staff recommended the following updates to Phase 2 of the SUI Reduction Strategy on June 5th, 2024. These updates will take effect on March 1st, 2025:

1. Businesses must accept a customer’s clean reusable drink cup for beverage orders made in-store. (Exemptions apply to a charitable or non-profit organization, a hospital or community care facility, alcoholic beverages, and special events.)
2. Businesses must only offer single-use accessory food ware items (e.g. utensils, stir sticks, condiments, beverage cups sleeves and trays) by request and/or at self-serve stations.
3. Paper shopping bags must contain 40% post-consumer recycled content.

To access the full description of the changes and resources to support businesses please visit Guelph.ca/singleuseitems.

As a final step in Phase 2 we are exploring the reduction of single-use food containers.

Please note: This project began in an older version of our website. Some of the tools and information may appear different than originally designed.

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