Calgary Co-op customers shocked they can't use bags in composters
Calgary Co-op says they're safe and so does the City of Calgary, but a federal government agency says bags the store hands out aren't compostable.
Environment and Climate Change Canada (ECCC) told the chain that it should cease its practice of passing out the bags, citing concerns that they are "problematic" and "difficult to recycle."
The decision on the grocery bags that Co-op has given out at checkout counters since 2019 also has shoppers upset.
"They are compostable. So I believe that we should be able to use them that way," Theresa Johnston said on Tuesday.
"I don't think the government should tell us that they should get rid of them."
Fellow Co-op shopper Caitlyn Axworthy says she uses them as an alternative to compost bin liners after she gets home from the grocery store.
"So that's a little sad to know that they're actually going to tell them to get rid of them."
Ken Keelor, Calgary Co-op's CEO, is standing with his customers on the issue.
"Think about this – for three years you've come to Calgary Co-op and you were pleased to be able to buy your groceries and have them bagged in compostable bags.
"We communicated along with the city that you can use them in your green bin, and you've been doing that happily. And now all of a sudden, you can't."
He also feels that ECCC's demand that he sells the compostable bags in packages on the shelf will confuse his customers.
"So you can buy them as bin liners off the shelf, but we can't bag your groceries in them. We think that's just a little unusual for our members and I think they're going to have a hard time accepting it."
CITY VOUCHES FOR CO-OP
On top of the customers being confused, it's likely there may be employees with the City of Calgary who will be equally mystified.
Sharon Howland, program management lead at the City of Calgary's Waste and Recycling Services, says the bags Co-op produces are acceptable in Calgary's Green Cart program as they will break down in the city's composting facility.
She says they are "certified" to be used to package food waste that is deposited into Calgary's green carts.
Meanwhile, plastic bags and "bio-degradable bags" are the city's biggest problem when it comes to its food and waste recycling program.
"Plastic bags interfere with the composting process and break down into small pieces of plastic that will contaminate the finished compost," Howland said.
"We encourage Calgarians to use only certified compostable bags in their green carts and to recycle plastic bags by bundling them together into a single plastic bag (don’t forget to tie it closed) and place in their blue carts."
Keelor says the city has the equipment to break down the bags and the compost they contain without issue.
ECCC, in a statement issued to CTV News on Monday, said while the bags do provide some environmental benefit, there is "no significant evidence" they can fully decompose in the natural environment.
The agency says more research needs to be done on their environmental impact before a regulations on them can be changed.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
How quietly promised law changes in the 2024 federal budget could impact your day-to-day life
The 2024 federal budget released last week includes numerous big spending promises that have garnered headlines. But, tucked into the 416-page document are also series of smaller items, such as promising to amend the law regarding infant formula and to force banks to label government rebates, that you may have missed.
Which foods have the most plastics? You may be surprised
'How much plastic will you have for dinner, sir? And you, ma'am?' While that may seem like a line from a satirical skit on Saturday Night Live, research is showing it's much too close to reality.
opinion I've been a criminal attorney for decades. Here's what I think about the case against Trump
Joey Jackson, a criminal defence attorney and a legal analyst for CNN, outlines what he thinks about the criminal case against Donald Trump in the 'hush money trial.'
$3.8M home in B.C.'s Okanagan has steel shell for extra wildfire protection
A home in B.C.'s Okanagan that features a weathering steel shell designed to provide some protection against wildfires has been listed for sale at $3.8 million.
Diver pinned under water by an alligator figured he had choice. Lose his arm or lose his life
An alligator attacked a diver on April 15 as he surfaced from his dive, nearly out of air. His tank emptied with the gator's jaws crushing the arm he put up in defence.
Psychologist becomes first person in Peru to die by euthanasia after fighting in court for years
A Peruvian psychologist who suffered from an incurable disease that weakened her muscles and had her confined to her bed for several years, died by euthanasia, her lawyer said Monday, becoming the first person in the country to obtain the right to die with medical assistance.
Mystery surrounds giant custom Canucks jerseys worn by Lions Gate Bridge statues
The giant stone statues guarding the Lions Gate Bridge have been dressed in custom Vancouver Canucks jerseys as the NHL playoffs get underway.
Celebrity designer sentenced to 18 months in prison for smuggling crocodile handbags
A leading fashion designer whose accessories were used by celebrities from Britney Spears to the cast of the 'Sex and the City' TV series was sentenced Monday to 18 months in prison after pleading guilty in Miami federal court on charges of smuggling crocodile handbags from her native Colombia.
Wildfire leads to evacuation order issued for northeast Alberta community
An evacuation order was issued on Monday afternoon for homes in the area of Cold Lake First Nation.