The Minister for Environment has reminded the community that the NSW ban on lightweight plastic bags is due to come into force next week (1 June).
The Minister, James Griffin said the lightweight plastic bag ban will be the first of many plastic items to be banned in New South Wales this year.
‘I think all of us can see the impact plastic pollution is having on our environment,” Mr Griffin said, “which is why we’re making major changes in New South Wales this year.”
He said the ban on lightweight single-use bags will come into place from 1 June.
“Then from November, we’re banning more problematic plastics, such as cutlery and plates.”
Mr Griffin said single-use plastic is used by many for just a few convenient minutes, but it remains in the environment for many years, eventually breaking into microplastics.
“Single-use plastic items and packaging make up 60% of all litter in New South Wales,” he said.
“By stopping the supply of problematic plastic in the first place, we’re helping prevent it from entering our environment as litter, or going into landfill.
“We each have the power to make positive environmental change at an individual level and I encourage everyone to choose to go plastic-free as often as they can.”
Mr Griffin said the Plastic Reduction and Circular Economy Act 2021 was passed by the Parliament last November.
“The ban will prevent almost 2.7 billion items of plastic litter from entering the environment in New South Wales over the next 20 years,” he said.
More information about the NSW plastics ban can be obtained from the Department of Planning and Environment at this PS News link.
