The law comes into effect in a year, giving retailers and the public time to prepare

MLAs passed legislation banning the bags on Tuesday at Province House. The law comes into effect in a year, giving retailers and the public time to prepare.

But Environment Minister Gordon Wilson said it might not take a full year for everyone to begin changing their approach, or for retailers to stop making the bags available.

“That’ll be up to the industry,” said Wilson. “We see some that are doing it now.”

Some people have criticized the move as mostly symbolic and not the most effective way to bring about environmental change, Wilson disagreed.

“Taking millions of bags out of circulation is not symbolic. Changing the way we think going into a grocery store is not symbolic.”

The bill is as much about starting a conversation on how people use plastic materials and what will become of them as it is banning single-use bags. While it does include some exemptions, such as large bags used to cover tires

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