What banning single-use plastics could mean for vendors at St. Jacobs market

Farmers' markets are often seen as low-waste alternatives to grocery stores, but single-use plastics are still a common sight at the St. Jacobs Farmers' Market.

Many vendors use plastic packaging for their products or offer customers plastic bags.

That could change with the federal government's plan to ban some plastics as early as 2021, which means market vendors will have to find a solution.

Some, like Mojgan Shahinpour, have already started to phase out plastic.

Shahinpour owns the Sweet Persian Bakery and usually gives customers paper bags when they buy her cookies and pastries.

"As a package, some people like to see the product clearly so I'll use the clear [plastic], but I usually prefer to use the paper bag," she said.

Sue Lanktree, who runs Gluten-Free by Suzie, is planning to switch to paper bags soon thanks to feedback from customers.

"We want try to switch to paper bags now and try to accommodate those who are more conscientious about plastic," Lanktree said.

But eliminating plastic doesn't come without challenges for other vendors. At Mickey McGuire's Cheese, cheese is covered in paper and wrapped in plastic wrap.

Carole McGuire says they plan to start only using paper, but cheese curds, which are sold in bags, are a different story.

"I'm not sure that the manufacturers out there have got a product that is going to cover a half pound of cheese curds," she said.

At the Nauman's Farm stand, customers can bag their produce using plastic bags that are attached to the corner of each table.

Owner Hugh Nauman estimates only about a quarter of customers bring their own reusable bags or containers. He says finding an alternative would be expensive.

"When I started in the produce business with my parents, we used paper bags. But if you compare the price, we could never afford to give a paper bag that size," he explained.

"I'll bet you a paper bag, that would be 40 cents."

Peter Hurley, who works for Garlic King at the market, suggests a federal plastic ban may actually be they key to making alternatives more readily available.

"If they could phase it in and give a chance for people with alternative products to get in there and get it out to the vendors so they wouldn't have to be … paying a fortune for plastic alternatives, then that would be good," Hurley said.

"People feel good when they can do something good for the environment when you give them a chance."