LCBO to permanently ditch paper bags as of Sept. 5

Paper bags for booze will no longer be available at Liquor Control Board of Ontario (LCBO) locations as of Sept. 5.

"Customers are encouraged to bring their own reusable bag when shopping in-store, and alternatively, may purchase a reusable bag," the Crown corporation said in a news release Tuesday.

"This initiative will help to minimize our impact on the environment and create a more sustainable Ontario."

Boxes and eight-pack carriers for cans and small bottles will still be available for free, the release noted.

The LCBO announced in April that it would begin phasing out paper bags at all of its locations after it partnered with Tree Canada, a non-profit, as part of its latest sustainability campaign.

The provincial agency said the move would save the equivalent of 188,000 trees each year and divert some 2,665 tonnes of waste from landfills.

The LCBO permanently ditched plastic bags 15 years ago.