Single-Use Plastic Bans in Australia and New Zealand

Information Updated 1st February 2022

Australian Federal

Read the National Plastics Plan

Stage 1: JULY 2022

Phase out non compostable plastic packaging products containing additive fragmentable technology that do not meet relevant compostable standards (AS4736-2006, AS5810-2010 and EN13432)
Phase out expanded polystyrene (EPS) in loose fill and moulded consumer packaging

Stage 2: DECEMBER 2022:

Phase out expanded polystyrene (EPS) food and beverage containers

2025: National Packaging Targets for industry:

100% of packaging is reusable, recyclable, or compostable
70% of plastic packaging goes on to be recycled or composted
50% average recycled content within packaging (20% for plastic packaging) – problematic and unnecessary single-use plastic packaging phased out (target 5 of NWPAP)

New South Wales

Read the NSW Plastics Action Plan

Stage: 1 JUNE 2022

Lightweight shopping bags (less than 35 microns thick)

Stage: 1 NOVEMBER 2022

Plastic straws (Bioplastics are not exempt. Exemptions are in place for members of the community to continue to access plastic straws for medical or disability requirements)
Plastic stirrers (Bioplastics not exempt)
Plastic cutlery (Bioplastics not exempt)
Cotton-buds with plastic sticks
Plastic plates (Bioplastics not exempt)
Plastic bowls (Bioplastics not exempt. Excludes bowls designed or intended to have a leak-proof lid)
Expanded polystyrene food service items (Only EPS banned, can change to non-plastic or plastic cups or clamshells)

REVIEW IN 2024

Heavyweight plastic shopping bags
Barrier/produce bags
Plastic cups and lids
Plastic lined coffee cups and lids (Not explicitly mentioned but expected to align with cups strategy)

Australian Capital Territory

Read the Single-Use Plastics Ban
Lightweight plastic shopping bags (less than 35 microns thick) were banned in November 2011.

Stage: 1 JULY 2021

Plastic cutlery (Bioplastics and oxo-degradable not exempt. Select exemptions exist)
Plastic stirrers (Bioplastics and oxo-degradable not exempt. Select exemptions exist)
Expanded polystyrene (EPS) takeaway food and beverage containers (Pre-packaged exempt. PLA bioplastic replacements are accepted)

Stage 2: 1 JULY 2022 – (Proposed)

Plastic straws (Second round ban – Under current discussion with stakeholders*)
Plastic fruit and vegetable “barrier bags” (Compostable alternatives being accepted)
Cotton buds with plastic sticks
All other plastic products that are made from non-compostable degradable plastics. Compostable packaging alternatives are exempt.

Victoria

Read the Single-Use Plastics Ban Plan
Lightweight plastic shopping bags (includes 35um or less at any part of the bag) were banned in November 2019. Government departments and agencies will phase out single-use plastics, where it is safe to do so, by February 2022 ahead of the February 2023 ban.

Stage: 1 FEBRUARY 2023

Plastic straws (there are exemptions in place for members of the community to continue to access plastic straws for medical or disability requirements)
Plastic cutlery
Plastic stirrers
Expanded polystyrene (EPS) food and drink containers
Cotton bud sticks
Plastic plates
The above products made of oxo-degradable plastic are included in the ban

FUTURE STAGES
Longer-term consideration will be given to phasing out other problematic single-use plastic products such as plastic-lined single-use coffee cups and lids, single-use plastic dinnerware and boutique or heavyweight plastic bags.

Tasmania

Read the Single-Use Plastics By-Law Information
The city of Hobart now has a by-law that bans certain single-use plastic food packaging, which will be enforceable from 1 July 2021.

Stage 1: 1 JULY 2021 (Hobart)

Plastic cutlery
Sauce sachets (e.g. tomato, soy, tartare)
Plastic takeaway food containers and lids
Takeaway plastic straws
Plastic lined noodle boxes
Plastic lined coffee cups
Plastic lids on takeaway cups
Plastic sandwich wedges

*Exempt: Compostable plastics and other packaging products that are certified Industrially (AS4736, EN13432 or D6400) or home compostable (AS 5810) are allowed/exempt from the ban.

Queensland

Read the Single-Use Plastic Items Ban
Lightweight plastic shopping bags (includes 35um or less at any part of the bag) were banned in July 2018. Queensland’s wider ban on the supply of single-use plastic items started on 1 September 2021. The single-use plastic items ban is part of Queensland’s plan to tackle plastic pollution and follows strong support from the community, retailers and industry organisations.

Single-use plastic straws (straws attached to shelf-ready, pre-packaged items are exempt) (there are exemptions in place for members of the community to continue to access plastic straws for medical or disability requirements)
Plastic stirrers and swizzle sticks
Plastic plates
Unenclosed plastic bowls
Plastic forks, spoons, knives, splayds, chopsticks, and food picks (cutlery attached to shelf-ready, pre-packaged items are exempt)
Expanded polystyrene (EPS) takeaway food containers
Expanded polystyrene (EPS) cups

*Exempt: Compostable plastics and other packaging products that are certified to the Australian Industrially (AS4736) or Australian home compostable (AS5810) standards are allowed/exempt from the ban.

Northern Territory

Read the Single-Use Plastics Ban
Lightweight plastic shopping bags (includes 35um or less at any part of the bag) were banned in September 2011. The City of Darwin put in place plastic bans in January 2019. These bans apply to types of disposable items that cannot be used at events on council land and at Darwin’s markets.

Stage 1: 1 JANUARY 2019

Disposable cups (coffee and cold) and lids
Cutlery (and stirrers)
Plates and bowls
Takeaway containers
Straws (there are exemptions in place for members of the community to continue to access plastic straws for medical or disability requirements)
Balloons

South Australia

Read about Replace The Waste
South Australia’s Single-use and Other Plastic Products (Waste Avoidance) Act 2020 was the first legislation of its kind in Australia.

Stage 1: 1 MARCH 2021

Plastic straws (Bioplastics and oxo-degradable not exempt however there are exemptions in place for members of the community to continue to access plastic straws for medical or disability requirements)
Plastic stirrers (Bioplastics and oxo-degradable not exempt)
Plastic cutlery (Bioplastics and oxo-degradable not exempt)

Stage 2: 1 MARCH 2022

Expanded polystyrene (EPS) cups, bowls, plates, and containers (oxo-degradable products are not exempt)

EXEMPT: PLA lined cups, bowls and paper cups are exempt from the ban

Western Australia

Read the Plan for Plastics
On 13 June 2021 the State Government announced it was fast-tracking Western Australia’s Plan for Plastics.

Stage 1: 1 JULY 2022

Plates
Bowls
Cutlery
Drink stirrers
Drinking straws (exemptions in place for members of the community to continue to access plastic straws for medical or disability requirements)
Cold beverage Cups
Thick plastic bags
Expanded polystyrene (eps) takeaway food containers
Helium balloon releases.
*Exempt: Compostable plastics and other packaging products that are certified to the Australian Industrially (AS4736) or Australian home compostable (AS5810) standards are allowed/exempt from the ban. Clear PLA cups although compostable to Australian standards is banned.
* Enforcement of Stage 1 regulations will start on 1 July 2022 for all items except for cups, which starts on 1 October 2022, to provide time for everyone to adapt.

Stage 2: 1 JANUARY 2023 (proposed)

Microbeads
Coffee cups/lids
Cotton buds with plastic shafts
Barrier/produce bags
Polystyrene packaging
Oxo-degradable plastics

The plan also includes actions for pre-packed fruit and vegetables, plastic beverage containers, takeaway food and beverage containers and plastic packaging.

New Zealand

Read about Phasing out hard to recycle and single use plastics.
New Zealand will ban problem plastics and hard to recycle food and drink packaging in three stages between late 2022 and July 2025. This plan is a positive step towards avoiding waste and reducing the harm caused to our soils, waterways and the ocean through litter and pollution.

Stage 1: LATE 2022 (Proposed)

Polyvinyl chloride (PVC) meat trays
Rigid polystyrene (PS) takeaway packaging
Expanded polystyrene (EPS) food and beverage packaging including takeaway containers
Degradable plastic products (eg, oxo- and photo-degradable)
Plastic drink stirrers
Plastic stemmed cotton-buds, including PLA compostable cotton buds and drink stirrers

Stage 3: MID 2023 (Proposed)

Plastic produce bags
Plastic plates, bowls and cutlery
Plastic straws (exemptions in place for members of the community to continue to access plastic straws for medical or disability requirements)
Plastic produce labels

Stage 3: MID 2025 (Proposed)

All other PVC food and beverage packaging
All other PS food and beverage packaging

The government expects more work to be done on how to introduce phase-outs of certain types of expanded polystyrene, single-use cups (including coffee cups) and wet wipes.

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