On 1 March 2021 South Australia is set to become the first State in Australia to ban the use of single-use plastics.
Single-use plastic products are designed to be used once, or for a limited number of times, and are thrown away after a brief use. They often end up in the ocean causing issues with marine life or in landfill where they take hundreds of years to decompose.
The ban will include the sale, supply and distribution of single use straws, plastic cutlery, and drink stirrers. These single use items should be replaced with reusable and compostable alternatives.
The regulations will provide an exemption for prescribed stores to continue selling the plastics straws (not utensils) in order to maintain accessibility e.g. pharmacies to people who require them for medical purposes. Hospitality venues will also be able to have a limited number of plastic straws for people with a disability. These must be kept behind the counter and available on request.
An exemption also allows for single-use plastic straws attached to products and the point of manufacture, such as juice or milk boxes, to be excluded from the list of prohibited items.
Businesses that do not comply with the ban risk a $20,000 fine which will be enforced by the Environment Protection Authority (EPA) inspector.
In 2022 the list will be expanded to include polystyrene cups, bowls and plates. Oxo-degradable plastic products will also be prohibited from manufacture and production in the state. Oxo-degradable plastic products have additives which enable the plastic to break down into tiny fragments (‘microplastics’) rather than completely decompose.
We encourage members who may be affected by these changes to visit www.replacethewaste.sa.gov.au
