Starting on 1 November 2022, New South Wales’ (NSW) new bans on single-use plastic will take effect. Businesses will no longer be allowed to sell certain common items.
According to the Minister for Environment James Griffin, this is the “beginning of our massive shift away from single-use plastic.”
With these bans, they will be able to prevent 2.7 billion plastic litter from getting into the environment for the next two decades. An estimated 40 per cent of litter ends up in the water, which breaks up into smaller pieces that can harm wildlife and humans.
The list of single-use plastic items that will be banned from November 1:
- Cotton buds
- Cutlery
- Stirrers
- Straws
- Plates and bowls
- Expanded Polystyrene (EPS) food service items
- Personal care products that contain plastic microbes
Those in the retail and hospitality industries must abide by these new bans. In addition, individuals and charities that will have activities for various purposes may also follow these rules.
The new policy has received huge support.
The exemptions to the rule
Businesses may provide plastic straws to people with a medical condition or with disabilities who need plastic straws. In addition, single-use plastic bows with spill-proof lids are also exempted, as well as serving ware, tongs, and platters.
Pre-packaged items already integrated into food or beverage products are also exempted. The Environmental Protection Authority (EPA) will also exempt the supply of plastic single-use cotton buds and bowls with a two-year review period for medical, forensic, and scientific purposes.
Furthermore, a one-off, the time-bound exemption is granted for plates and bowls made of cardboard or paper with plastic lining or coating. The exemption will expire on October 31, 2024.
The consequences
After November 1, 2022, businesses caught still selling or providing single-use plastics will be facing hefty penalties.
If you are caught the first time, and considering these new bans, the EPA will educate businesses and raise awareness about them first. However, if a business continues to sell or use single-use plastics from the ban list, an on-the-spot fine of up to $1,100 for individual businesses and $5,500 for corporations can be issued.
On the other hand, individuals won’t be fined for using banned single-use plastic.
Available alternatives
With these newly-banned items, there are alternatives for you. For one, bamboo or wooden equivalents are one of the best alternatives for single-use plastics. For straws, there are metal, silicone, and other materials that you can now get online and in brick and mortar stores.
A move to a better environment
Since February of this year, the National Retail Association (NRA), on behalf of the NSW Government, has been educating and supporting over 40,000 community organisations and businesses in NSW to make these changes.
The NSW Government also joined forces with Great Plastic Rescue to gather excess stock from retailers, wholesalers, distributors, businesses, and not-for-profits for remanufacturing and recycling.
The Stop it and Swap was also launched in September 2022, an ad campaign showing photos of ocean plastic pollution. Indeed, the government continuously educates its people about today’s dangers of single-use plastics.
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