The end is near for single-use plastics, with select items to be phased out from June next year under new legislation.
Minister for Energy and Environment, Matt Kean said plastic packaging and single-use plastics made up 60 per cent of litter across the State and the phase-out would include bags, straws, cotton buds, plates, bowls and cutlery.
“Only 10 per cent of plastics in New South Wales are recycled, with the rest ending up in landfill, or worse, littering our streets, dumped in our parks and washing up in our waterways,” Mr Kean said.
“This legislation is expected to stop 2.7 billion single-use items from ending up in our natural environment and waterways over the next 20 years,” he said.
Mr Kean said exemptions would apply for people who relied on particular single-use plastics for disability or health needs and businesses would be supported to transition to alternative products before the phase-outs came into effect.
Parliamentary Secretary for the Environment, Felicity Wilson said a range of education and engagement campaigns would run to support consumers and businesses transition.
“By this time next year, the NSW Government will have phased out plastic straws, stirrers, cutlery and bowls, as well as plastic cotton buds and microbeads in personal care and cosmetic products,” Ms Wilson said.
“Our goal is to reduce as much plastic waste as possible, while protecting the environment, sustainably managing resources and ensuring materials circulate in our economy for as long as possible,” she said.
Ms Wilson said the supply of lightweight plastic bags would be prohibited from 1 June and the supply of other items, including single-use plastic straws, cutlery, stirrers, cotton buds, plates and bowls and expanded polystyrene food-service items, would be prohibited from 1 November next year.
The Parliamentary Secretary said a legislative framework had also been established to tackle harmful and problematic plastics though the setting of design standards.
“The first design standard has been set for microbeads in cosmetic and personal care items, and will ensure microbeads are phased out from 1 November 2022,” she said.
Further information on the planned phase-out of single-use plastics can be accessed on the Department of Planning, Industry and Environment’s website at this PS News link.