Plastics ban leads to increased costs at food banks

As food banks and soup kitchens continue to feel the pinch, a new budgetary item has sprung up. In addition to food costs, agencies must now factor in reusable bags and food containers on account of the single-use plastics ban.

“We’ve had to, as much as possible, try to shift to paper products for the bowls, and we do still use some styrofoam because it’s more economical,” said Sara McCleary at St. Vincent Place in Sault Ste. Marie.

“The to-go containers are actually a budget item now, about $10,000 this year we’re budgeting for to-go containers.”

McCleary said St. Vincent Place has also had to purchase reusable shopping bags as it can no longer count on donations of plastic shopping bags.

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At Harvest Algoma, the situation is the same. The agency has teamed up with Save Our Young Adults (SOYA) to find a solution.

“We came up with the idea to develop a fundraiser to help us so that we can collaborate and buy skids of soup containers,” said Devon Barlow with Harvest Algoma.

“The head of SOYA told me that her costs had quadrupled. She went from 60 cents a meal, to almost $2.50. Which isn’t sustainable for anybody that doesn’t have any sort of income, and it’s the same thing we face.”

Harvest Algoma is holding an Easter Bread Bake Sale in the hopes of raising $5,000 to purchase compostable soup bowls.

They’re taking orders until April 2.