True Earth Packaging carries a full range of compostable, recyclable, and sustainably-sourced packaging for BC restaurants, cafés, and caterers. Metro Vancouver Single-Use Item Bylaw compliant across all eco categories. Wholesale pricing, Lower Mainland delivery.
Metro Vancouver's Single-Use Item Bylaw restricts or bans a growing list of disposable plastic packaging items — including styrofoam containers, plastic straws, plastic stir sticks, and other single-use plastic items. Every food business operating in Metro Vancouver must comply, with fines for non-compliance. The bylaw has been in effect since 2023 and is actively enforced.
Beyond regulatory compliance, customer expectations in BC — particularly in urban markets like Vancouver, Burnaby, Richmond, and North Vancouver — have shifted significantly. Customers notice packaging. A restaurant that still uses styrofoam containers or non-recyclable plastic cutlery in 2026 is sending a signal that runs counter to what most BC diners expect from a food business they want to support regularly. Eco-friendly packaging is now a baseline quality signal, not a premium differentiator.
The good news is that eco-friendly packaging has become meaningfully more affordable as production volumes have scaled. Sugarcane bagasse, kraft paper, and compostable cutlery are no longer significantly more expensive than the single-use plastic they replaced. In many product categories, the price difference is negligible — and the business case for switching is straightforward.
Made from sugarcane fibre — a by-product of sugar production. Compostable, microwave-safe to 120°C, grease-resistant. Plates (6"–10"), bowls (8oz–32oz), clamshells, and compartment trays.
View bagasse range →Birchwood, cornstarch, and bamboo cutlery kits — 4-in-1 and 6-in-1 formats. Individual forks, knives, spoons, and teaspoons in compostable materials. Replaces single-use plastic cutlery under the Metro Van bylaw.
View eco cutlery →Handled and flat-bottom kraft bags in 16 sizes. Paper-based, recyclable, and compostable. Replace single-use plastic bags as the standard takeout bag for restaurants and bakeries.
View kraft bags →Kraft square and rectangular containers, noodle boxes, and boat trays. Grease-resistant paper construction — compostable where accepted, recyclable when clean.
View kraft containers →Polypropylene #5 containers accepted by BC curbside recycling. Not classified as single-use plastic under the Metro Vancouver bylaw. Microwave and freezer safe. Round, rectangular, square, and compartment formats.
View PP containers →Kraft and white paper soup bowls in 4oz–32oz. Paper-based, recyclable, and significantly lower environmental impact than styrofoam soup containers that are now banned under the bylaw.
View soup bowls →Paper-based hot cups in 4oz–24oz. Recyclable or compostable (depending on liner type) — a significant improvement over polystyrene cups that can no longer be legally used in Metro Vancouver food service.
View paper cups →Certified compostable bags in 13gal and 33gal for food waste bins going to Metro Vancouver's organics collection. Required for commercial organics programs — standard plastic bags are not accepted.
View compostable bags →Corrugated kraft pizza boxes in 10"–16". Recyclable when free of grease. A straightforward eco swap for non-recyclable plastic or foil pizza packaging formats.
View pizza boxes →Breaks down into organic matter under composting conditions. Important: most compostable packaging requires a commercial composting facility — it won't break down in a backyard compost bin or landfill at the same rate. For Metro Vancouver food businesses, this means it needs to go into the organics collection stream. Sugarcane bagasse, PLA-lined paper cups, and compostable cutlery fall into this category.
Accepted by curbside recycling programs when clean. PP #5 containers, kraft paper (clean), and corrugated cardboard are recyclable through BC's standard programs. Customers can recycle these at home without needing access to a commercial composting facility — which makes them more reliable for takeout and delivery formats where you can't control what the customer does at home.
For dine-in or food court formats where waste bins go to commercial composting — compostable is often the better choice. For takeout and delivery where the customer disposes of packaging at home — recyclable materials (PP, kraft) have a more reliable end-of-life pathway. Many operations use a mix: compostable containers for dine-in, recyclable containers for takeout. We're happy to help you think through what makes sense for your specific format.
Note: Bylaw requirements evolve — new categories may be added. For the most current list, check Metro Vancouver's official Single-Use Item Bylaw documentation. True Earth Packaging carries compliant alternatives across all restricted categories.
Request a quote and we'll help you identify the right eco-friendly options for your specific format — whether you're switching from styrofoam, sourcing compostable cutlery for the first time, or building a fully sustainable packaging lineup from scratch.