NSW and Western Australian Governments announce new plastic bans

The Australian Marine Conservation Society has welcomed announcements from both the Western Australian and NSW Governments on their fast tracking and expanding of plastic bans. Currently, NSW is the only state without a ban on plastic bags, considered one of the most lethal plastics for ocean wildlife.

The WA Government plans to ban single-use plastics at the end of this year with NSW expecting laws to be passed this year that will see the full ban in effect by the end of 2022.

Beaches like Dee Why and Watsons Bay in NSW are known as plastic pollution hotspots with levels of plastic as high as 1,000 microplastics per square metre while it is estimated that half of all seabirds and turtles have plastic in their stomachs.

By 31st December, 2021 the WA Government will ban plastic plates, bowls, cups, cutlery, stirrers, straws, thick plastic bags, polystyrene food containers, and helium balloon releases.

In stage two, now to be completed by the end of 2022, plastic barrier/produce bags, cotton buds with plastic shafts, polystyrene packaging, microbeads and oxo-degradable plastics will be banned - effectively bringing forward their full ban on plastics by four years.

The WA government has also taken a nation-leading step by becoming the first to ban takeaway coffee cups and lids with single-use plastic materials, to be phased out in 2022.

Australian Marine Conservation Society (AMCS) plastics campaign manager Shane Cucow congratulated the government on responding to the urgency of the plastic pollution crisis in Australia’s oceans and noted “Just this year, we have seen shocking reports of turtles washing up on beaches with plastic in their stomachs.”

Cucow highlighted that by bringing forward their plastics ban and committing to ban plastics such as straws, cutlery, plates and bowls by the end of the year, the WA Government has shown they are taking this crisis seriously and were to be commended for being the first in Australia to commit to a ban on takeaway coffee cups and lids containing single-use plastics.

The welcome announcement from Western Australia came on the same day as the NSW Government’s announced they will ban single-use plastics in the coming year.

Under NSW’s plan, lightweight plastic shopping bags will be banned within six months of laws passing. Currently, NSW is the only state without a ban on plastic bags, considered one of the most lethal plastics for ocean wildlife.

After 12 months, plastic straws, stirrers, cutlery, expanded polystyrene food service items, plastic cotton bud sticks, and microbeads in cosmetics will also be banned in NSW.

With laws expected to pass this year, the full ban would be in effect by the end of 2022.

While the ban does not match Queensland in banning disposable plastic plates and bowls, the state government has flagged these for later consideration alongside heavyweight bags, fruit & vegetable barrier bags, plastic cups, PVC fruit stickers, and oxo-degradable plastics.

Alongside the ban, the NSW government announced $10 million to help manufacturers and retailers move to more sustainable alternatives, $5 million towards pilot projects reducing hard to address plastics like medical waste, and $2 million for research.

Cucow welcomed the commitments as a circuit breaker in national efforts to save wildlife from plastic pollution and notes that NSW Government’s commitments would deliver a massive reduction in the flow of dangerous plastics into Australia’s oceans.

“We congratulate the NSW Government for listening to ocean lovers across the state who have been demanding action to save threatened seabirds, whales and turtles.

“With safe, earth friendly alternatives available, it is time to put our wildlife first.

“Soft plastic bags and plastic straws are some of the most notorious killers of wildlife, causing life threatening blockages or internal injuries when eaten.

“By including cotton buds and microbeads, the NSW government has raised the bar for other states and territories in Australia.

“Together with vital funding for manufacturers and businesses to transition away from plastic, and critical funding for research into the threat of microplastics, this is one of the most comprehensive plans to fight plastic in Australia.”

Cucow said eyes were now on Tasmania and the Northern Territory, the only states and territories without a plan to ban problem single-use plastics.

“Every day we wait, we lose more animals to the scourge of plastic pollution. With every other state moving to ban notorious plastics like straws, cutlery and polystyrene, it’s time for Tasmania and the Northern Territory to act.”

Table above: Compares Australian state and territory commitments on single-use plastics