Starting in April 2026, the municipality of Tofino, B.C., will be the first local government in Canada to eliminate the sale of small single-use plastic water bottles, CTV News reported.
The law, which was finalized this year, applies to bottles less than one liter in size, sold individually. There are exceptions for large bottles, packages of multiple bottles, and also for times of disaster and significant water restrictions, when residents may need easier access to bottled water to make up for difficulty accessing tap water.
The ban could make a notable difference in the health of marine ecosystems in the area.
According to a delegation from the Surfrider Foundation environmental group, which began pushing for the ban in August 2023, more than 60,000 bottles of this type have been recovered along the west coast of Vancouver Island since 2015.
"Once in the marine environment, plastic bottles break down into microplastics, which pose serious risks to marine life and ecosystems," said the district in the statement announcing the change, according to CTV News. Microplastics are also associated with negative health outcomes in humans, although there is still a lot of research to be done in this area.
The law doesn't officially take effect until next April, but according to the municipality, over 70 local businesses are already voluntarily complying with the order. Tofino has already previously banned single-use plastic bags, straws, polystyrene foam containers, and single-use plastic cutlery, making a major dent in plastic waste in the area.
"By eliminating single-use plastic water bottles one-litre and less, Tofino is taking another meaningful step to protect our oceans, beaches, and wildlife from plastic waste," Mayor Dan Law said in his announcement, according to CTV News. "This bylaw reflects our shared responsibility to the environment and to future generations and demonstrates what's possible when communities strive for sustainability."
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