New single-use plastic bans come into effect

• Additional single-use plastic bans come into effect from today.
• Banned items include cotton buds with plastic stems and expanded polystyrene loose packaging (packing ‘peanuts’). The outdoor release of lighter-than-air balloons is now also banned.
• The new bans follow those introduced in September 2021 that prohibited single-use plastic items including straws, stirrers, plates, bowls, cutlery, and expanded polystyrene takeaway food containers and cups.

Queensland’s environment is set to be even better protected from plastic litter thanks to additional single-use plastic bans coming into effect today <1 September>.

From today, the following single-use plastic items are banned:

• cotton buds with plastic stems
• expanded polystyrene loose packaging (such as “peanut” style fill foam)
• plastic microbeads in rinseable personal care and cleaning products, and
• the outdoor release of lighter-than-air balloons.

Further requirements for heavyweight plastic shopping bags, such as department store bags, also come into effect today.

Non-woven plastic shopping bags of 35 microns or more thickness will need to pass reusability tests for 125 uses and, for non-compostable plastic shopping bags, contain a minimum of 80 per cent recycled content.

The Palaszczuk Government has partnered with the National Retail Association (NRA) to support businesses in understanding the new requirements and to become ban compliant, including providing advice on managing existing stocks.

The National Retail team has physically visited over 2000 stores across the state in preparation for the new bans, providing information sessions to businesses, and is providing a toll free hotline for businesses to receive advice and assistance to comply.

Consultation was undertaken prior to the introduction of the new single-use plastic bans to determine if suitable alternatives were available and if actions other than a ban were more appropriate. 

The new bans follow those introduced in September 2021 that prohibited single-use plastic items including straws, stirrers, plates, bowls, cutlery, and expanded polystyrene takeaway food containers and cups.

Quotes attributable to the Minister for the Environment and the Great Barrier Reef, Leanne Linard:

“The Palaszczuk Government is serious about removing plastic waste from our environment.

“That’s why in July 2022 we released a five-year road map for action on single-use plastic items, outlining proposed bans and other collaborative initiatives on further single-use plastic products.

“Plastic products are useful parts of our everyday lives, providing many positive benefits, but plastic pollution is a growing problem when it ends up in the wrong place, impacting the health of our communities, our environment and wildlife.

“We are working towards Queensland becoming a zero-waste society, where waste is avoided, reused, and recycled to the greatest extent possible and are delighted that the message about how vital it is to keep our environment free from plastic waste is reaching our community.

“Along with the single-use plastic bans, we have also introduced a Container Refund Scheme allowing individuals, charities, and community groups to receive a 10c refund when they return an eligible glass, metal or plastic drink container to a container refund point.

“Since this scheme started, more than 6.8 billion containers have been returned through over 360 refund points across Queensland with an additional 1.4 billion collected through kerbside services.

“Single-use plastics bans and the Container Refund Scheme have combined to eliminate an enormous amount of plastic and container litter from entering our environment and landfills.”

Quotes attributable to National Retail Association Director, Policy, David Stout:

“The National Retail Association is proud to join with the Queensland Government in helping to remove single-use plastics from everyday use.

“Retailers support the phase-out of unnecessary or problematic single-use plastics in order to reduce waste and improve environmental outcomes.

“We also understand that businesses need time, education and support to understand single-use plastic bans so they can transition to more sustainable alternatives while minimising business impact.

“The National Retail team are committed to helping businesses throughout their transition, before and after the ban comes into effect, and we encourage businesses to get in touch if they need assistance.”

Quotes attributable to Boomerang Alliance Queensland Manager, Toby Hutcheon:

“We welcome the next tranche of plastic reduction regulations by the Queensland Government.

“Plastic stemmed cotton buds and plastic microbeads in personal care products are unnecessary, whilst polystyrene pellets in loose packaging of products is just wasteful.

“We applaud the decision to ban the deliberate release of helium balloons in Queensland and urge other States to follow the Queensland example.

“Heavyweight plastic shopping bags continue to be a problem waste, so introducing new rules on what constitutes a reusable bag is good policy.

“Any plastic shopping bag that claims to be reusable must now prove it has been made and designed to complete at least 125 shopping cycles.

“This requirement, fully adopted, is a big step towards only having genuinely reusable bags in the market.”

Further information:

Following the introduction of the 2021 ban, the NRA has spot-checked more than 2600 retailers and investigated 167 reports from the public, with the vast majority of businesses found to be doing the right thing.

If issues were discovered, the NRA and Queensland Government worked through solutions with the businesses concerned and achieved compliance without “heavy-handed” intervention.

Although a maximum fine of 50 penalty units can be imposed for contravening the single-use plastic bans, this “education first” approach has meant there has been no need to issue any penalties since the bans were introduced.

Businesses seeking advice or information on the ban should visit the website, contact the National Retail hotline or attend the free online session held every Friday. Visit qldplasticsban.com.au for more information.

Members of the public can continue to report suspected non-compliance through qldplasticsban.com.au or by contacting the NRA.

If businesses are concerned about excess stock that they don’t believe will be compliant with the new requirements, they should contact the NRA or their supplier to discuss options for a way forward.

ENDS

Media contact: Scott Chandler – (07) 3719 7339