South Australia is taking the next steps to
REPLACE THE WASTE

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

Plastics play an important role in our economy and daily lives. When used in packaging, plastic helps ensure food safety and reduce food waste, but too often the way it is produced, used and discarded results in a wasted resource, and causes pollution, litter and harm to marine life.

South Australians are committed to the environment and want action on single-use plastic products. By avoiding waste and shifting to reusable or recyclable options, we can ensure the best environmental outcome for our ‘clean and green’ state.

The next steps establish a phased and manageable move away from single-use plastics over the next three years, enabling all South Australians to replace waste by avoiding single-use plastics and adopting ‘clean and green’ alternatives.

CLICK TO DOWNLOAD

 

From March 1, 2021

Single-use plastic straws, cutlery and stirrers were prohibited from sale, supply or distribution in South Australia including bioplastic alternatives. These single-use items can be replaced with reusable and plastic-free compostable alternatives. Health and disability exemptions  apply for single-use plastic straws.

More Details

From March 1, 2022

Expanded polystyrene cups, bowls, plates and clamshell containers were also prohibited from sale, supply or distribution in South Australia. 
Oxo-degradable plastic products were prohibited from production, manufacture, supply and sale in the state.
Oxo-degradable plastic products have additives which enable the plastic to break down into tiny fragments (‘microplastics’) and do not completely decompose.

More Details

To be phased out by September 1, 2023

Plastic stemmed cotton buds will be phased out and this aligns South Australia with a number of other Australian states and territories, New Zealand and elsewhere. Exemptions, where plastic stemmed cotton buds are required for medical, veterinary, and other scientific purposes will be developed.

Single-use plastic bowls and plates will be phased out. Many suitable alternatives are already available, and bans are already in place in Queensland, New South Wales and Western Australia.

Plastic pizza savers are difficult to recycle in conventional recycling facilities, and when left inside a cardboard pizza box they impact on the recyclability or compostability of the pizza box.

More Details

To be phased out by September 1, 2024

Plastic produce bags will be phased out, enabling the market to switch to compostable alternatives, that are certified to Australian Standards for compostability [AS4736-2006 and AS5810-2010], aligning with and supporting our state’s efforts in recovering food waste from households. A major supermarket chain in South Australia, alongside some smaller supermarket stores, have already transitioned to these compostable produce bags. However, this is not the case for all businesses and the timing of this ban allows them to transition to compostable produce bags, and also for suppliers of the bags to tool up, and for new compostable bag suppliers to enter the market.

Thick supermarket or boutique-style plastic bags will be phased out. There are alternatives for these and the timing of this ban allows retailers to source alternatives and inform customers.

Single-use plastic beverage containers (including coffee cups) offer convenience for consumers, but these items and their attachments (such as lids and beverage plugs) have limited recovery and recycling pathways, creating confusion for consumers. Some estimates suggest that Australians throw away up to 1 billion coffee cups a year. In order to tackle plastic pollution, business and industry must transition to more sustainable cups, lids and beverage plugs.

Fibre and other compostable, or non-plastic recyclable or reusable alternatives can replace single-use plastic food containers with various alternatives already available and in use.

Expanded polystyrene cups, bowls, plates and clamshell containers were prohibited from sale, supply and distribution in South Australia on 1 March 2022. Other expanded polystyrene (EPS) consumer food and beverage containers in the market (e.g. gelato tubs) will also be removed and complete the approach intended for this type of plastic. EPS trays used for meat, fruit and other food items for retail sale will be phased out. Alternatives exist and some major supermarkets are already transitioning to recyclable product trays. EPS is not recyclable through household kerbside collection systems and there are no alternative collection systems available.

Plastic confetti causes preventable damage to the environment and will be phased out in South Australia. The interpretation of what constitutes confetti will be defined in regulations to follow.

Plastic bread tags can be replaced with non-plastic alternatives, as has already been introduced by at least one major bread producer.

More Details

To be phased out by September 1, 2025

Plastic fruit stickers, plastic soy sauce fish, and pre-packaged and attached products (i.e. products that contain plastic straws or cutlery) are to be phased out.
For these products, industry needs time to design new, more sustainable product formats and implement alternative solutions.

More Details

We are interested in hearing from organisations who have developed, or are developing, suitable reusable or compostable alternatives.

Contact Us