Whitehorse councillor floats plastic shopping bag ban

A Whitehorse city councillor and business owner is set to introduce a motion banning plastic shopping bags in the Yukon capital.

Coun. Jan Stick, who owns Well Read Books on Fourth Avenue, said she has already removed the disposable, non-recyclable plastic shopping bags from her store.

At a council meeting earlier this week, Stick said she wants to look at getting rid of the bags across the whole city. The motion will be tabled when council next meets on March 25.

"Single-use plastic shopping bags are a visible component of litter throughout the city of Whitehorse and form a significant portion of the solid waste deposited in the city's landfill," she said.

Earlier this year, Chinese authorities announced they will outlaw plastic shopping bags effective June 1.

In April 2007, the northern Manitoba community of Leaf Rapids became the first Canadian jurisdiction to prohibit plastic shopping bags. San Francisco enacted similar legislation the month before, making it the first North American city with a plastic bag ban.

Stick said she looks forward to having a discussion with council on the idea.