LCBO to scrap paper bags in all stores

The Liquor Control Board of Ontario is phasing out the use of paper bags at all locations in the coming months.

The provincial alcohol retailer announced the decision on Thursday, encouraging customers to bring their own reusable bag or buy one in-store. Re-used cardboard boxes and eight-pack carriers will also be an option, at no cost.

The LCBO pinned its decision to a sustainability commitment to minimize the liquor board’s impact on the environment.

The crown corporation phased out plastic bags 15 years ago, well ahead of Canada’s ban on single-use plastics that took effect last December.

“We took the lead to remove single-use plastic bags from our stores. Now, the removal of single-use paper bags is another important step in our efforts to minimize our impact on the environment,” George Soleas, LCBO’s President and CEO, said in a news release on Thursday.

The LCBO said this new initiative will remove almost 135 million paper bags from its stores on an annual basis, diverting 2,665 tonnes of waste from landfill and saving the equivalent of more than 188,000 trees every year.

The liquor retailer did not disclose details on the date paper bags will be phased out.