The province is urging BC residents to have their say on new proposed ways to reduce plastic waste.

Environment Minister George Heyman says residents have been loud and clear that action has to be taken, especially on single-use items like water bottles and plastic bags.

“Everyone’s seen the striking images of animals like sea turtles, sea birds, seals caught up in plastic debris whether it’s grocery bags, beer can loops or fishing debris,” he said. “We don’t want to see these beautiful creatures ensnared and threatened any longer.”

The province will be determining which single use items to ban altogether, and which ones to exempt for health, safety and accessibility.

Heyman says feedback will be accepted online until September 18.

“Specifically the actions that we’re looking for feedback on are expanding the deposit refund system to cover all beverage containers including milk and raising the deposit to $0.10, because the experience in our neighbouring jurisdictions of Alberta and Saskatchewan has shown that would dramatically increase the number of containers that are returned.”

The proposals also include requiring producers to take responsibility for more of their plastic products to ensure things like sandwich bags, straws, and cutlery get recycled and diverted away from the landfill.

It’s also planning to support ways to try and prevent plastic waste in the first place and making sure that recycled plastic is reused effectively.