New timetable to ban single-use plastic

The new timetable comes in response to community and business support for the measures.

Community consultation conducted earlier this year showed the public urgently wanted action to ban a range of items.

Of more than 3,000 people surveyed in a second round of public consultation following the first round of first bans, 97 per cent of respondents said they wanted more action on single-use items like plastic bags and takeaway coffee cups.

Following the success of bans on single-use straws, cutlery and stirrers in 2021, and polystyrene takeaway containers in March 2022, the bans aim to encourage reusable, recyclable or compostable alternatives.

More than 140 South Australian businesses have already moved to become plastic free.

The cost of sustainable containers is now comparable to the plastic counterparts and prices are expected to drop further as demand increases.

Legislation will be drafted to introduce three stages for new bans on single-use plastics in South Australia. Draft legislation for the first phase of products to be prohibited on 1 September 2023 will be ready for stakeholder consultation in February 2023.

Potential exemptions will be considered, as with single-use plastic straws to allow the continued access and supply of these straws for people living with a disability

Today’s announcement provides a roadmap for local businesses and allows for considerable lead time to prepare including sourcing alternatives and running down existing stock.

All other states are also banning single-use plastic products over the next few years.

The Plastic Free SA program, funded through Green Industries SA will continue to provide free advice for South Australian Businesses on the best alternatives for their products and services.

For a full copy of the Turning the Tide on single-use plastic products – Next Steps document, and for more information on alternatives to single-use plastic, visit Replace The Waste.