- China says launches military drills around Taiwan
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- England return to winning ways in Nations League, Austria thrash Norway
- UN chief says attacks on UNIFIL 'may constitute a war crime'
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- Dozens hurt in Israel as Hezbollah claims drone strike
- England deserve 'world class' coach: Carsley
- Burkina Faso win to become first qualifiers for 2025 AFCON
- AC Milan's Pulisic among five out for USA match in Mexico
- France's Amandine Henry retires from international football
- Centre-left set to win pro-Ukraine Lithuania's vote
- India's World Cup hopes in Pakistan hands after Australia defeat
- Zelensky says NKorea sending troops to Russian army
- England beat Finland to get back on track
- King and Lewis propel West Indies to T20 triumph over Sri Lanka
- Pre-Halloween 'Terrifier' lands atop North America box office
- 'I still plan to compete and play next season,' says Djokovic
- Harris, Trump seek advantage in knife-edge election battle
- Chepngetich shatters women's marathon world record in Chicago
- Kamindu and Asalanka power Sri Lanka to 179 against West Indies
- Chepngetich shatters women's marathon world record as Korir wins in Chicago
- Spain send injured Yamal home 'to prioritise player's health'
- In milestone, SpaceX 'catches' megarocket booster after test flight
- Iraq walks fine line with pro-Iran factions to avoid war
- Race four abandoned after New Zealand breeze into 3-0 lead in America's Cup
- West Indies win toss, put Sri Lanka in to bat in first T20
- Sudan rescuers say air strike killed 23 in Khartoum market
- Netanyahu tells UN to move Lebanon peacekeepers out of 'harm's way'
- Bangladeshi Hindus defy attack worries to celebrate festival
- Kiwis three up in America's Cup as Ineos pay for time penalty
- In a first, SpaceX 'catches' megarocket booster after test flight
- Dominant England crush Scotland at Women's T20 World Cup
- Dropped: The rise and fall of Pakistan batting maestro Babar Azam
- Israel fights Hezbollah on the ground, pounds Lebanon from the air
- Sabalenka outlasts local hero Zheng to win third Wuhan Open title
- Bangladeshi Hindus shrug off attack worries to celebrate festival
- Former Pakistan captain Azam dropped for second England Test
- 'Opportunist' Dupont dazzles on Toulouse return
- Australia replace injured Vlaeminck with Graham at Women's T20 World Cup
- Sinner wins Shanghai Masters to deny Djokovic 100th career title
- Ubisoft fears assassin's hit over falling sales
- Israel hits Lebanon from the air and fights Hezbollah on the ground
- China's Yin has 'goosebumps' as she romps to LPGA win in Shanghai
- Pakistan to re-use Multan pitch for second England Test
- Blair and King Charles hail Salmond's 'devotion' to Scotland
- Vietnam, China hold talks on calming South China Sea tensions
- SpaceX will try to 'catch' giant Starship rocket shortly before landing
- England captain Stokes in line for second Pakistan Test return
- Japan's former empress Michiko discharged after surgery: reports
- Japan's former empress Michiko discharged after surgey: reports
Canada bids farewell to plastic straws, cutlery and checkout bags
Canadian restaurants and cafes were no longer permitted as of Wednesday to offer plastic straws, food containers, checkout bags or cutlery to customers -- despite a court ruling that such restrictions are unconstitutional.
The regulation banning single-use plastics was introduced last year and was to be phased in as part of Ottawa's commitment to achieve zero plastic waste by 2030.
But it hit a snag in November when a Canadian court ruled in a case brought by oil and chemical companies that it was "unreasonable and unconstitutional."
The government went ahead anyway, asking the court to stay an order quashing the ban while it appeals the decision, and the prohibition against the manufacture, sale or in-store distribution of single-use plastics came into force.
Charles Desgens, 29, was having lunch at a restaurant in Saint-Jean-sur-Richelieu, a short drive from Montreal, as eating establishments were scrambling to get rid of the last of their plastic inventory.
"I find it very good that the law requires store owners to do it. I don't think everyone would have done it straight away or it would have taken a lot of time," he explained.
"It's sometimes simpler if it's disposable, but the little extra effort is worth it," echoed Helene Boulanger, a 32-year-old engineer.
Still, some like Emile Doucet, of the Parma sandwich restaurant in this small town of 100,000 inhabitants, lament that it is "not yet very easy to find alternatives" to plastic.
According to Ottawa, Canadians throw away three million tonnes of plastic waste each year -- including a staggering 15 billion bags annually. Only nine percent of it is recycled.
The government has said it aims to hike that to 90 percent, in line with European targets for 2029.
"The science is clear: plastic pollution is everywhere, and it harms wildlife and damages the environment. It is found across Canada and the world," Environment Minister Steven Guilbeault said in a statement.
A survey by environmental group Oceana Canada found Canadians overwhelmingly support the plastics ban, which comes as 50 other nations have also adopted laws to combat plastic pollution.
The world must halve single-use plastics and massively boost the reuse and recycling of plastics while rolling out alternatives in order to stop this rampant pollution, the United Nations Environment Program (UNEP) said in May.
In 2019, 353 million tonnes of plastic waste were produced worldwide, 22 percent of which ended up in landfills, burned or discarded into nature.
A.Malone--AMWN