What You Need To Know About the Government’s Single-Use Plastic Ban Commencing 1st February 2023

For years the hospitality industry has relied on the availability of single-use plastic products for catering, takeaway scenarios and many more use cases. They have been a staple in many venues as they are readily available, cost-effective and incredibly convenient to dispose of. However, these products have been detrimental to the longevity of our environment for a long time now and are economically unviable to recycle as they end up contaminating our recycling system. They usually take decades to break down, contribute towards the production of greenhouse gas emissions and can end up killing marine wildlife.

As a result, the Australian government is implementing a ban on several single-use plastic products in an effort to reduce plastic pollution, protect the environment, and help our country transition to sustainable packaging alternatives. The New Zealand government is also committed to addressing problematic single-use plastics, and has put forward a two-staged proposal for phase-out of hard-to-recycle plastics and single-use items. Each Australian state has issued varying roll-out stages of when each plastic item will be banned. So if you live or do business outside of Victoria, please check the following links below for how the ban affects your circumstances:

NSW: here
QLD: here
SA: here
TAS: here
ACT: here
NT: here
WA: here

The ban applies to all retailers, including supermarkets, pharmacies, convenience stores, hospitality venues and covers the sale and distribution of certain plastic products. 

What plastic items are included?

As of 1st February 2023, the following single-use plastic items will be banned:

• Drinking straws
• Cutlery (including knives, forks, spoons, chopsticks, sporks, splades, and food picks)
• Plates
• Drink stirrers and sticks
• Cotton bud sticks, including PLA compostable versions of these items
• Expanded polystyrene food service items and drink containers (including expanded polystyrene plates, cups, bowls, clam shells and any cover or lid that is also made from expanded polystyrene
  
  

Are there any exceptions?

There are exceptions, some of which include the use of plastic straws for medical or disability purposes, and for the use of plastic bags for the transport of raw meat and fish. The ban also does not apply to utensils (e.g. ladles, tongs, cake servers) or to individuals undertaking private or domestic activities. Serving platters are not covered within the ban, and paper plates which have a plastic lining or coating are exempt until November 2024. 

Will there be any penalties enforced for not complying with the ban from 1st February 2023?

Yes. It will be an offence for any Victorian business that sells or distributes a banned single-use plastic item and may be subject to a fine of up to $54,500, in addition to a penalty of up to $10,900 for an individual.

What about biodegradable plastic items?

Biodegradable plastic items are included within the ban as they are traditionally petroleum-based plastics and even though they break down over time, they do so slowly within the environment and still release harmful chemicals which can have a negative environmental impact.

What about compostable plastic items?

Although compostable plastic items may seem like they would be allowed because they can break down into a compost along with other organic materials, they are also included within the single-use plastics ban because they can still harm the environment.

Compostable plastic items are not the same as biodegradable plastic items. In certain situations they can be great alternatives to support more sustainably minded practices, however because they are designed to be disposed of in composting facilities and require certain conditions to break down (e.g. heat, moisture and microorganisms), if they don’t end up in composting facilities and instead are disposed of in the same way as conventional plastic items, they also negatively impact the environment.

To learn more about the Victorian government's legislation around the single-use plastic ban on 1st February 2023 and how it may impact you, click here. If you require quick information for how the ban affects your business' situation don't hesitate to call our friendly support staff on +61 3 9682 1441. We would be happy to assist where we can!