Officials surprised by impact on customer habits after ban on common grocery store item

The results are in for the impact of Edmonton's 2023 targeted ban on single-use plastic items. Even the most hardened cynic has to admit the bylaw made a world of difference.

The CBC shared statistics related to the three-year-old rule in the Canadian city that outlawed polystyrene plates, cups, and containers. 

On the bag front, the Alberta city added surcharges of 25 cents on paper bags and $2 for reusable ones while forbidding plastic bags — although shoppers are allowed to bring their own for free.

Edmonton sampled residential and commercial trash from before the rules took effect and from a month in early 2026 to assess the changes.

The number of single-use bags fell by around 80%, and straw and utensil waste fell by 26%. 

"The data shows we are seeing significant amount of reduction of single-use items from our landfills, which is great for the environment, but it's also great for the financials of the city because that means you're not creating more landfills," said Mayor Andrew Knack. "That's a very costly endeavor."

While those items showed fantastic progress, the whole picture wasn't as rosy. Cup waste rose by 5% in the business areas, and it only fell by 1% in residential trash. 

The city noted that its population rose 12% over the last three years, which, alongside lax regulation and consumer habits, could explain the stagnation in combating cup usage.

One discouraging data point was the rise of takeaway container use. In both business and residential areas, waste was up over 75%. That could relate to a change in consumer preferences toward carry-out, which might require proactive steps by eaters to address.

Still, the results showed that plastic bag bans work, as do ones on plastic cutlery. That could not only reduce plastic waste and slow the plastic pollution crisis but also help protect consumers from microplastic exposure.

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Finding ways to reduce the risks from plastic takeaway containers should be next on the docket for the city and restaurants. For cups, the solution seems a little more straightforward.

While Edmonton ward councilor Anne Stevenson wants to lead with incentives and education around them, the success of the bag surcharges is undeniable. It could be the next step for disposable cups.

"The evidence to me seems to suggest that putting a price incentive on those single-use items has a dramatic impact on usage," Stevenson told the CBC.

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