Customs Notice 23-08: Single-use Plastics Prohibition Regulations

Ottawa, March 28, 2023

1. The purpose of this notice is to advise the importing community that certain parts of the Single-use Plastics Prohibition Regulations, made pursuant to the Canadian Environmental Protection Act, 1999, came into force on December 20, 2022.

2. The Regulations prohibit the manufacture, import and sale of the following six categories of single-use plastics products:

• Checkout bags
• Cutlery
• Foodservice ware containing expanded or extruded polystyrene foam, polyvinyl chloride, oxodegradeable plastic or black plastic made with carbon black
• Ring carriers
• Stir sticks
• Straws (with some exceptions for single-use plastic flexible straws to ensure accessibility for those who need them)

3. The table below outlines the timelines for specific prohibitions.

Item	Manufacture and import for sale in Canada	Sale	Manufacture, import and sale for export
Checkout bags, cutlery, foodservice ware, stir sticks, straws (other than single-use plastic flexible straws)	December 20, 2022	December 20, 2023	December 20, 2025
Ring carriers	June 20, 2023	June 20, 2024	December 20, 2025
Flexible straws packaged with beverage containers	N/A	June 20, 2024	December 20, 2025

4. Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) assists Environment and Climate Change Canada (ECCC) in the administration of the Canadian Environmental Protection Act, 1999 and its regulations at the border.

5. When border services officers come across the prohibited single-use plastic products being imported into Canada, information about such shipments will be referred to ECCC’s Enforcement Branch.

6. For more information regarding requirements under the new Regulations, please refer to the Single-use Plastics Prohibition Regulations - Technical guidelines. Any questions regarding requirements of the Regulations should be directed to:

Environment and Climate Change Canada (ECCC)
Plastics Regulatory Affairs Division,
9th floor,
351 Saint-Joseph Boulevard,
Gatineau, QC K1A 0H3
Email to: plastiquesuu-suplastics@ec.gc.ca

7. For more information regarding the CBSA’s programs and services, please contact the Border Information Service (BIS) line. Within Canada, you can call BIS toll-free at 1-800-461-9999. From outside Canada you can call 204-983-3500 or 506-636-5064; long distance charges will apply. Agents are available Monday to Friday (08:00 – 16:00 local time, except holidays). TTY is also available within Canada: 1-866-335-3237.