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Plastic bags are soon to become a thing of the past at B.C. government liquor stores.

The B.C. Liquor Distribution Branch is planning to eliminate its distinctive, thicker-than-grocery-store plastic bags in favour of paper bags.

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“We’re committed to minimizing the impact of our operations on the environment, and to providing customers with checkout bags that are manufactured responsibly and widely recyclable,” said spokeswoman Viviana Zanocco.

The Liquor Distribution Branch is one of the largest retailers and distributors of alcoholic beverages in Canada, with annual sales of $3.5 billion. It also hands out about 22 million plastic bags a year.

It’s currently looking for suppliers that can meet the branch’s requirements for paper bags, which could be offered to customers for the charge of an “environmental fee,” according to a request for proposal issued earlier this month.

Among the requirements: The bags have to be approximately 16 to 17 inches in height, 9.75 inches in width and six inches in depth; be made of natural kraft paper; be 100 per cent recyclable and compostable; and more importantly, for practical purposes, be capable of carrying a load of 7.5 kilograms without breaking. That’s equivalent to six bottles of wine or a six-pack of beer and two bottles of wine.