A city-wide ban on plastic bags will be explored by city administration in 2018.
The idea is set to be examined in a future report listing ways to eliminate plastic film from the waste stream.
On Tuesday, the Standing Policy Committee on Environment, Utilities and Corporate Services passed a recommendation asking city council to remove plastic film products from the City of Saskatoon recycling programs.
A report to the committee says plastic film contaminates other recyclable products like paper. It adds there are no markets for plastic film to be diverted to so the product is being taken to the landfill.
If council approves the plan, recycling programs will stop accepting plastic film starting in April.
The report says administration, over the course of 2018, will be looking at other potential options to reduce plastic film from waste operations. Those options could include a depot program for source separated plastic film, and increased education to encourage residents to use less plastic film products such as plastic bags. Administration will also explore regulatory options such as a city-wide plastic bag ban.
Administration hopes to have a report on those options complete by the end of the year.
