Plastic produce stickers
The ban is planned to apply to plastic labels affixed to fruit or vegetables for sale in South Australia. If South Australian produce is sold into markets outside the state, the ban will not apply. Businesses that import fruit into South Australia must ensure that where fruit and vegetables are labelled, those labels comply with the South Australian regulations.
More than 80% of South Australians have access to a green-lidded organics bin service, where household food waste should be placed. In addition, many South Australians are keen home composters. While plastic produce stickers should be removed, this does not always happen. The ban will ensure that plastic produce stickers do not turn up as a contaminant in compost outputs.
What is planned to be banned?
- Plastic produce stickers that are not certified compostable (conventional plastic stickers on produce such as apples, pears, avocados, bananas, citrus fruits, kiwi fruits and pineapples)
Identified alternatives
- Certified compostable plastic produce stickers
- Paper produce stickers without plastic coatings
- Labelling produce using laser or similar technology
