Each Government agency, whether Federal, State or Territory is bringing in bans at different times, and they are each choosing to prioritise different products or packaging types. We have summarised the details in the table below, however there are some themes.
Plastic items to be phased out are generally those that are used only once, are not recyclable and there is a more sustainable alternative readily available.
The most commonly banned items include single use plastic straws, cutlery and stirrers as well as foam food containers like drinking cups and clamshells.
Any ban introduced likely contains exemptions that allow for the sale, supply and distribution of single-use plastic straws, or other necessary items to those in the community who rely on them due to disability, medical or other need.
Plastics are a part of our everyday life; they are convenient and used in many applications. There is however, growing consumer awareness of the issues posed by some plastic and packaging waste. Many single-use plastics aren’t recyclable so end up in landfill and if used outside of the home can sometimes become litter.
To address the issues associated with some single-use plastics, Australian governments are implementing a series of actions to address the plastics problem.
Individual Australian States and Territories are introducing legislation that prohibits the sale, supply and distribution of certain single-use plastic products and establishes a framework for adding other products in the future.
The Federal Government has also stepped in with a National Plastics Plan that includes among other actions the phasing out of some EPS foam products.
The table below shows the bans in each State and Territory as well as products or packaging listed in the National Plastics Plan.
Legend | Policy Certainty | Still being determined | Enacted | National Plastics Plan | Voluntary | TBD |
Category | Range | NSW | VIC | QLD | WA | SA | ACT | TAS | NT | NZ |
Legislation being drafted | Plastics plan released | Legislation enacted | Legislation being drafted | Legislation enacted | Legislation enacted | City of Hobart by-law | City of Darwin only | Consultation phase | ||
Retail bags | Light weight plastic bags | June 2022 | Already banned | Already banned | Already banned | Already banned | Already banned | Already banned | Already banned | Already banned |
Heavy weight plastic bags | 2024 | Jul 2022 | ||||||||
Plastic produce bags | Jan 2023 | July 2022 | Mid 2023 | |||||||
Foam | Loose fill consumer packaging | Jul 2022 | Jul 2022 | Jul 2022 | Jul 2022 | Jul 2022 | Jul 2022 | Jul 2022 | Jul 2022 | |
Retail fruit and veg trays | Dec 2022 | Dec 2022 | Dec 2022 | Dec 2022 | Dec 2022 | Dec 2022 | Dec 2022 | Dec 2022 | ||
Retail meat and fish trays | Dec 2022 | Dec 2022 | Dec 2022 | Dec 2022 | Dec 2022 | Dec 2022 | Dec 2022 | Dec 2022 | ||
Pre-packaged food pots | TBD | TBD | TBD | TBD | TBD | TBD | TBD | TBD | ||
Moulded consumer packaging | TBD | TBD | TBD | TBD | TBD | TBD | TBD | TBD | ||
Clamshells and other containers | Nov 2022 | Dec 2022 | Sep 2021 | Jul 2022 | Mar 2022 | Jul 2021 | Jul 2021 | Dec 2022 | Late 2022 | |
Bowls | Nov 2022 | Dec 2022 | Sep 2021 | Jan 2022 | Jan 2022 | Dec 2022 | Dec 2022 | Dec 2022 | Late 2022 | |
Plates | Nov 2022 | Dec 2022 | Dec 2022 | Dec 2022 | Dec 2022 | Dec 2022 | Dec 2022 | Dec 2022 | Late 2022 | |
Hot and cold foam cups | Nov 2022 | Dec 2022 | Sep 2021 | Jan 2023 | Mar 2022 | Jul 2021 | Dec 2022 | Dec 2022 | Late 2022 | |
Oxos | Fragmented plastics | Jul 2022 | Jul 2022 | Jul 2022 | Jul 2022 | Mar 2022 | Jul 2022 | Jul 2022 | July 2022 | Late 2022 |
Other | Product labels | 2024 | Mid 2023 | |||||||
PVC Meat trays | Late 2022 | |||||||||
PVC food and beverage packaging | Mid 2025 | |||||||||
Microbeads | Nov 2022 | Jan 2023 | ||||||||
Plastic | Cutlery | Nov 2022 | Feb 2023 | Sep 2021 | Jul 2022 | Mar 2021 | Jul 2021 | Jul 2021 | 2019 | Mid 2023 |
Stirrers | Nov 2022 | Feb 2023 | Sep 2021 | Jul 2022 | Mar 2021 | Jul 2021 | Jul 2021 | 2019 | Late 2022 | |
Straws | Nov 2022 | Feb 2023 | Sep 2021 | Jul 2022 | Mar 2021 | Jul 2022 | Jul 2021 | |||
Bowls | Nov 2022 | Sep 2021 | Jul 2022 | 2019 | Mid 2023 | |||||
Plates | Nov 2022 | Feb 2023 | Sep 2021 | Jul 2022 | 2019 | Mid 2023 | ||||
Cold cups | 2024 | Oct 2022 | ||||||||
Hot cups | Jan 2023 | |||||||||
Plastic stemmed cotton buds | Nov 2022 | Feb 2023 | Jan 2023 | Late 2022 | ||||||
Sauce sachets | Jul 2021 | |||||||||
Sandwich wedges | Jul 2021 | |||||||||
Containers and lids | Jul 2021 | |||||||||
Lined coffee cups | Jan 2023 | Jul 2021 | ||||||||
Coffee cup lids | Jan 2023 | Jul 2021 | ||||||||
Lined noodle boxes | Jul 2021 |
Queensland |
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South Australia |
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Australian Capital Territory |
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Western Australia |
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