The federal government’s ban on a wider variety of single-use plastic items is now officially in place.

As of Tuesday, the expanded ban includes the import and manufacture of grocery bags, cutlery, food service containers made from problematic plastics, stir sticks and straws.

Plastic campaigner with Oceana Canada, Anthony Merante says the ban will make a difference.

Every piece of plastic lasts about 100 years, says Merante. Once the ban is in full effect, it will equate to the removal of about 33 billion units of single-use plastics which are normally used by Canadians.

We promised Canadians we would ban certain harmful single-use plastics.

Today, we’re delivering by prohibiting the manufacture and import in Canada of plastic straws, checkout bags, cutlery, stir sticks, and hard-to-recycle foodservice ware. pic.twitter.com/MLcOA8K5DD

— Steven Guilbeault (@s_guilbeault) December 20, 2022