What’s banned?

From 1 June 2022, lightweight plastic shopping bags with handles that are 35 microns or less are banned in NSW.

From 1 November 2022, the following items are banned in NSW:

• Single-use plastic straws & stirrers
• Single-use plastic cutlery
• Single-use plastic plates
• Single-use plastic bowls without spill-proof lids
• Food containers & cups that are made from expanded polystyrene (EPS)
• Single-use plastic cotton buds
• Rinse-off personal care products containing plastic microbeads.

It is also an offence to display banned items, possess for supply and provide false/misleading info.

Items not in the list above (eg. cups, containers) will be reviewed in 2024.

Key notes

• Compostable plastics:
  • banned for all items
• Exemptions:
  • • items in sealed pre-packaged food & bev before store by machine process
    • distribution outside the state
    • straws on request (not on display)
    • plastic-coated paper plates & bowls (exemption ends 31 October 2024)
    • cotton buds used for forensic, scientific or medical purposes
    • also see detailed info on exemption applications >
• Defining single-use – 3 key criteria:
  • • • Settings where items are ordinarily used once
      • Diswashability (125 washes by Nov 2023, 780 washes by May 2024)
      • Marketing
      • See EPA guidelines >

More information

• Official website >
• Full legislation >

Future bans

• February 2024: NSW EPA published an exploratory paper.
• October 2024: NSW EPA published the NSW Plastics Action Paper outlining proposed bans and action on plastic from 2025 to 2030.
• National Retail provided extensive submissions to both consultations outlining industry’s roadmap for single-use plastics and our recommended strategies to develop a truly circular economy in Australia.

What’s proposed (in summary)

1. Reduce littering of takeaway food and beverage packaging

By end 2025

• Phase out the supply of single-use plastic lollipop sticks

By end 2027

• Require food service venues such as fast-food restaurants and cafes to accept reusable cups. We will also trial reusable cups in government premises and develop reuse toolkits for reuse-only precincts
• Require single-use plastic cups for cold beverages, single-use plastic food containers, and their lids to
  be recyclable
• Require takeaway food service venues to display anti-litter messaging in their shopfronts
• Require anti-littering labels and the Australasian Recycling Label on single-use plastic cups, single-use plastic food containers and single-serve condiment packages

By end of 2030

• Require single-serve condiment packages to be recyclable, supported by a co-designed roadmap that will take them towards circularity
• Explore expanding Return and Earn to accept single-use plastic cups for cold beverages and takeaway plastic food containers
• Require plastic lids to be tethered to Return and Earn-eligible plastic bottles <600 ml, and work with other states and territories to ensure container deposit schemes across Australia accept plastic bottle lids

2. Reduce littering of cigarette butts

By end 2027

• Work with other Australian jurisdictions on a national approach to reduce the harmful impact of cigarette butts in the environment

3. Using our litter data

By end 2025

• Explore options to make litter data reporting more transparent, including publishing the brand data of littered items
• Consider requiring brand owners of highly littered plastic items to set litter reduction targets

4. Eliminate harmful chemicals in food packaging

By end 2027

• Publish a ‘green list’ of chemicals that can be used in food packaging below certain tolerable risk thresholds
• Publish a ‘red list’ of chemicals that are proposed to be phased out of food packaging within specified timeframes
• Support increased chemical testing capacity for packaging in NSW
• Introduce a voluntary chemical certification and labelling scheme for food packaging, to be made mandatory in five years

5. Reduce microplastics in the environment

By end 2025

• Phase out the supply of plastics containing pro-degradant additives (oxo-, photo-, and landfill-degradable plastics)
• Phase out plastic microbeads from all cleaning products

By end 2027

• Require new washing machines to be rated on their ability to capture and reduce microfibres

6. Plastic shopping and barrier bags

By end 2025

• Adopt Queensland’s reuse and recycled content standards for heavyweight plastic film shopping bags
• Require plastic shopping bags to be stored out of sight at the point of purchase and only provided on request, unless they are clearly designed for reuse or are part of an extended producer responsibility scheme for plastic recycling.

By end 2027

• Phase out the supply of unnecessary plastic barrier bags
• Require anti-littering labels and the Australasian Recycling Label on plastic shopping bags and plastic barrier bags
• Eliminate harmful chemicals from plastic shopping bags and plastic barrier bags

7. Small food packaging items

By end 2025

• Phase out the supply of plastic pizza savers
• Phase out the supply of plastic food tags for bread, bakery and dry pantry items, with a temporary exemption for plastic tags for produce bags until end 2029

By end 2030

• Require fruit and vegetable stickers and their adhesives to be certified compostable

8. Balloons

By end 2025

• Phase out the release of lighter-than-air balloons
• Phase out the supply of plastic balloon sticks, clips and ties

9. Expanded plastic packaging

By end 2025

• Adopt Western Australia’s approach to phase out the supply of food trays, loose-fill packaging, and moulded or cut packaging made of expanded and foamed plastic.

More information

• Official website >

What’s banned?

STAGE 1 BAN

Banned from 1 January 2022:

• It is an offence to provide false or misleading information about items which are included in the ban.

Banned from 1 July 2022:

• All plastic shopping bags with handles (includes all thickness, includes polymer-coated paper bags, additional requirements for fabric bags)
• Disposable plastic straws & stirrers
• Disposable plastic cutlery
• Disposable plastic plates (incl. polymer-coated paper)
• Disposable plastic bowls without lids (incl. polymer-coated paper)
• Disposable plastic containers without lids (incl. polymer-coated paper)
• Food containers & trays that are made from expanded polystyrene
• Balloon releases (balloons not banned)

Banned from 1 October 2022:

• Disposable plastic cups for cold drinks (cup lids not yet banned)

Key notes

Compostable plastics:

• • banned for most items
  • except specific rules for paperboard products

Exemptions:

• • items in sealed pre-packaged food & bev before store
  • distribution outside the state
  • straws on request (not on display)
  • EPS trays used for raw meat or seafood
  • other specific exemptions apply eg. airlines

STAGE 2 BANS

The National Retail Association has been engaged by the WA Government to assist businesses via a tollfree hotline (1800 817 723), a dedicated website for business (www.plasticsbanwa.com.au), and regular online sessions. The NRA team also undertook face-to-face visits of over 4800 stores in WA from January to September 2024.

Summary of the next bans:

Phase 2a – Supply banned by 1 September 2023

• Degradable plastic (incl. oxo-degradable and landfill degradable).
• Cotton buds with plastic shafts.
• Microbeads.
• EPS cups and EPS in food and beverage packaging (including meat trays)
• Loose fill expanded plastic packaging (including all forms of expanded plastic eg. EPS, EPE, EPP and bioplastic foam).

Phase 2b – Supply banned by 1 March 2024

• Takeaway coffee cups (excl. AU certified lined paper cups).
• Cup Lids and seals – hot & cold drinks (including plastic lined lids).
• Plastic trays for takeaway food not covered in the Stage 1 ban.

Phase 2c – Supply banned by 1 September 2024

• Plastic produce bags for loose, fresh fruit and vegetables, except certified compostable plastic produce bags.
• Lids, windows and heat-sealed film for takeaway food containers, trays and bowls (excl. AU certified lined paper lids).
• Lidded food containers, trays and bowls for takeaway and eat-in applications. There is a limited exclusion that allows plastic lids/windows for takeaway food that is pre-packed and placed on display for sale.
• * New time-limited exemptions apply

Phase 2d – Supply banned by 1 July 2025

• Moulded expanded plastic packaging (including all forms of expanded plastic eg. EPS, EPE, EPP and bioplastic foam)
• * New time-limited exemptions apply

Definitions and detailed information on each item >

More information

The National Retail team has been officially engaged by the WA Government to assist businesses to understand and prepare for the bans from 2023 to 2025.

Call our WA Hotline (1800 817 723) or attend our info sessions online. Register here >

• Official website for business (National Retail Association) >
• Downloadable resources (National Retail Association) >
• Government website >
• Full legislation >

What’s banned?

Banned from 1 July 2021:

• Single-use plastic cutlery & stirrers
• Foodware & cups made from expanded polystyrene (EPS)

 Banned from 1 July 2022:

• Single-use plastic straws
• Single-use plastic cotton buds
• Oxo-degradable plastics

Banned from 1 July 2023:

• single-use plastic plates and unlidded bowls (exemption for plastic-lined paper plates and bowls until Nov 2024)
• expanded polystyrene (EPS) loose fill packaging
• expanded polystyrene (EPS) trays (including pre-packaged meat trays, etc)
• plastic microbeads in rinse-off personal care and cleaning products

Banned from 1 January 2024:

• all plastic shopping bags, including plastic-lined paper bags
• non-woven polypropylene bags must be 90gsm and have stitched seams

It is also an offence to provide false/misleading info.

Key notes

• Compostable plastics:
  • banned for all items
• Exemptions:
  • distribution outside the state
  • straws on request (not on display)
  • other specific exemptions apply eg. EPS gelato boxes, forensic/medical specific exemptions
  • some exemptions are time-limited

More information

• Government website
• Downloadable resources
• Full policy

STAGE 1 BAN (2021) 

What’s banned?

Banned from 1 September 2021:

• Single-use plastic straws & stirrers
• Single-use plastic cutlery
• Single-use plastic plates
• Single-use plastic bowls without lids
• Food containers & cups made from expanded polystyrene (EPS)

It is also an offence to provide false/misleading info.

Key notes

• Compostable plastics:
  • Australian certified compostable plastic items are permitted (AS4736 or AS5810). National Retail Association does not recommend these given bans in other states.
• Exemptions:
  • items in sealed pre-packaged food & bev before store.
  • distribution outside the state.
  • types of organisations are exempt from the 2021 ban (eg. medical) but retailers cannot provide straws.
  • polymer-coated paper products plates and bowls.

STAGE 2 BAN (2023) 

Further items are banned in QLD from 1 September 2023, including:

• plastic shopping bags with handles which do not meet 2 new requirements (80% recycled content and carry 10kg for 125 uses as verified by reusability tests)
• cotton buds with plastic stems
• expanded polystyrene (EPS) loose packaging (eg. packing peanuts)
• plastic microbeads in rinseable personal care and cleaning products
• balloon releases.

Detailed information on each item >

Some exemptions apply to specific items, but please note that organisation-wide exemptions in the 2021 ban do not apply to items in the 2023 ban.

The National Retail Association team continue to provide support and advice for businesses, including free online information sessions, visiting thousands of stores, manning a tollfree hotline, and specific factsheets for businesses.

FURTHER ACTION 

In 2022, the Queensland Government published a Plastics Roadmap of single-use plastic items which are being considered for bans or other actions between 2023 and 2028. In 2023, a ban on select items was implemented, while other strategies were deployed to look into other items, such as the Beyond Cups Innovation Challenge.

Further bans have not yet been announced, as the Queensland Government is working with the Commonwealth Government and other jurisdictions for greater harmonisation of actions on problematic plastic.

The National Retail Association is working closely with Queensland Government who has confirmed that public consultation is a requirement prior to the commencement of further bans. Businesses seeking to be proactive are recommended to phase out unnecessary single-use plastics where possible.

More information

The National Retail team has been officially engaged by the QLD Government to assist businesses to understand and prepare for plastic bans.

• • Official website for business (National Retail Association) >
  • Downloadable resources (National Retail Association) >

What’s banned?

Banned from 1 March 2021:

• Single-use plastic straws
• Single-use plastic cutlery & stirrers

 Banned from 1 March 2022:

• Foodware & cups made from expanded polystyrene (EPS)
• Oxo-degradable plastics

Banned from 1 September 2023:

• Single-use plastic plates and unlidded bowls (exemption for plastic-lined paper plates and bowls until Nov 2024)
• Cotton buds with plastic stems
• Plastic pizza savers

Banned 1 September 2024:

• All plastic shopping bags with handles
  • including plastic-lined/coated paper bags.
  • does not include unsealed bags in which perishable food is offered for sale (e.g. hot chicken or grape bag) does not include pre-packaged sealed bags (e.g. bread bag).
  • does not include synthetic fabrics such as nylon, polyester or woven PP. Non-woven PP must meet minimum requirements (like WA and ACT).
  • reusable plastic bags will not be allowed regardless of thickness or recycled content.
  • secondhand plastic bags reused by charities exempt until Sept 2027.
• Non-compostable plastic produce bags for all unpackaged fruit, vegetables, nuts, and confectionary
  • plastic produce bags must be certified to an Australian composting standard, and labelled as compostable by September.
• Plastic bread bag tags and similar food bag tags
  • includes rigid tags (not soft plastic tags, sticker closures or twist ties) that are used to close a bag of food.
  • does not include rigid tags used for other purposes than closing a bag.
  • time-limited exemption for potato and carrot bags 2kg or more until Sept 2029.
  • plastic tags used to close bags of other produce are not exempt.
• Non-compostable single-use plastic beverage cups and their lids/seals
  • disposable cups and their lids which contain plastic or bioplastic must be compostable and have commenced their AS certification process by September.
  • businesses have until March 2026 to complete Australian composting certification and labelling on cups and their lids/seals.
  • alternatives do not need to be fibre-based as long as they have achieved composting certification (i.e. pure bioplastics allowed, please note these are not allowed in WA)
  • lids/seals less than 70mm in diameter do not need to be labelled.
• Single-use plastic beverage plugs/stoppers
  • stickers and other non-inserted spill prevention devices allowed.
• Non-compostable single-use plastic food containers and their lids/seals/windows for ‘ready-to-eat’ food
  • ‘ready to eat’ food is defined as prepared or packaged onsite at request of a customer, or prepared fresh and pre-packaged on the day, or shortly before the day, on which it is intended to be offered for sale, and is ready to be eaten without further cooking, heating, defrosting, washing or other preparation, and is ordinarily intended to be eaten onsite or shortly after leaving.
  • containers and their lids (including bowls, wedges, clamshells, containers, tubs, windows, seals, etc) which contain plastic or bioplastic must be compostable and have commenced their AS certification process by September 2024.
  • includes condiment containers which are provided with ready-to-eat food and packaged onsite.
  • businesses have until March 2026 to complete Australian composting certification and labelling on cups and their lids/seals.
  • alternatives do not need to be fibre-based as long as they have achieved composting certification (i.e. pure bioplastics allowed, please note these are not allowed in WA)
  • exemptions:
    • time-limited exemption until Sept 2029 for transparent square or rectangular plastic food containers with a detachable lid, if both the lid and base are wholly made from PP or PET.
    • aluminium containers with a plastic-lined paper lid are exempt
    • catering platters used for catering at a function or event are exempt
    • lids/seals less than 70mm in diameter or containers less than 60mL in volume do not need to be labelled.
    • *new exemption for specific food containers used for hot potatoes, gravy or peas – see government website.
• expanded polystyrene (EPS) trays
  • includes those pre-packaged for veges, meat and other foodstuffs
• other EPS food and beverage containers e.g. EPS gelato boxes previously not captured.
• plastic confetti
  • pieces of plastic that are designed or intended to be thrown or projected into the air or otherwise scattered for decorative, festive or celebratory purposes.
  • does not include sequins, diamantes, beads, glitter or any other pieces of plastic that are not designed to be thrown/released into air as its function.
• plastic balloon sticks and ties
  • plastic balloon sticks and ties (i.e. clip or cap-style devices attached to the base of balloons) are banned
  • balloons and other accessories such as balloon weights and other ties (e.g. string, ribbon) are not banned.
• non-compostable single-use plastic bowls
  • Compostable plastic bowls were previously banned but will now be allowed. The ban on compostable plastic plates, straws and cutlery remains.

Banned 1 September 2025:

• non-compostable unlabeled barrier bags for unpackaged meat, dairy and fish
  • these bags must be certified to an Australian composting standard, and labelled as compostable by September 2025.
• non-compostable produce stickers
  • all plastic stickers and labels on fruit and vegetables must be certified to a specific Australian or international standard by Sept 2025, or started Australian certification (more clarity on this to be confirmed).
  • applies to all produce supplied to SA customers, regardless of origin (i.e. labels on produce grown in other states or countries and then sold in SA stores must comply)
  • does not apply to produce that SA growers export to another state or country.
  • must be Australian certified compostable by Sept 2028.
• single-use plastic soy sauce containers (30mL or less)
  • pre-filled plastic containers with a cap, lid or stopper that contain 30mL or less of soy sauce.
  • compostable plastic not allowed.
• attached cutlery, straws and pre-packaged EPS bowls or cups
  • current exemption will end.

28 February 2026:

• exemption for containers with hot potatoes, gravy or peas ends.

1 March 2026:

• businesses must have completed Australian composting certification and labelled food and beverage containers as compostable, applies to: disposable plastic cups and cup lids/seals; and food containers, bowls, trays for ready-to eat food (other than transparent, rectangular detached lid containers).
• Also see above Sept 2024 exemptions re size, aluminium containers with plastic-coated lids, catering platers – we believe these remain exempt (no end date).

1 September 2027:

• Exemption ends for secondhand plastic bags reused by charities (see above Sept 2024 exemption).

1 September 2028:

• Exemption ends for produce stickers/labels using international composting certification, and they must have completed Australian composting certification (see above Sept 2025 exemption).

1 September 2029

• Exemption ends for transparent square or rectangular plastic food containers (see above Sept 2024 exemption).

Have questions?

Visit the SA Government plastic ban website: https://www.replacethewaste.sa.gov.au/ or contact Green Industries SA (GISA) on (08) 8204 2051.

More information

• Government website >
• Full regulations >

What’s banned?

Banned from 1 February 2023:

• Single-use plastic straws and stirrers
• Single-use plastic cutlery
• Single-use plastic plates
• Food and drink containers made from expanded polystyrene
• Single-use plastic cotton buds

It is also an offence to provide false/misleading info.

Key notes

• Compostable plastics:
  • banned for all items
• Reusability:
  • ‘Reusable’ items are defined as a plastic item that is manufactured: to be used for the same purpose on multiple occasions, and with a warranty (or other written representation) of at least one year.
• Exemptions:
  • items in sealed pre-packaged food & bev before store
  • distribution outside the state
  • straws on request (not on display)
  • plastic-coated paper plates (exempt until 1 Nov 2024)
  • other specific exemptions apply

More information

• Government website >
• Final regulations >

Tasmania has announced their intention to take state-wide action on single-use plastics.

The Discussion Paper and survey closed 1 October 2024.

The paper outlines proposed bans (timing unclear) on:

• plastic shopping bags
• plastic barrier and produce bags
• single-use plastic straws, cutlery, stirrers
• single-use plastic bowls and plates
• single-use plastic food containers
• single-use plastic cups and lids
• EPS fruit & vege trays & gelato containers
• Expanded plastic packaging – loose and moulded
• Microbeads
• Balloon sticks and ties
• Cotton buds
• Pizza savers
• Lollipop sticks
• Plastic confetti
• Plastic bread tags
• Plastic-lined noodle boxes
• Fruit stickers/ produce labels
• Condiment sachets and packets
• Pre-packaged and attached items from above

More information

• Information on the proposed bans >

Hobart

The City of Hobart implemented a ban in 2020 which includes:

• single-use plastic takeaway packaging that is smaller than one litre or an A4 sheet of paper AND
• is prepared onsite for immediate consumption

Items include:

• Plastic cutlery
• Plastic straws
• Plastic takeaway food containers and lids
• Plastic lined noodle boxes
• Plastic lined coffee cups
• Plastic lids on takeaway cups
• Plastic sandwich wedges
• Sauce sachets (e.g. tomato, soy, tartare)

Key notes

• Compostable plastics:
  • certified compostable allowed for all items (Australian Standard AS4736, European Standard EN13432, United States of American standard D6400)
• Exemptions:
  • items in sealed pre-packaged food & bev before store
  • distribution outside the council area

More information

• Information on the Hobart by-law >

The Northern Territory has announced plans to implement a single-use plastics ban by 2025. We are awaiting further information on progress.

Items being considered for the 2025 ban include:

• Plastic shopping bags (heavy weight)
• Plastic straws
• Plastic utensils and stirrers
• Plastic bowls and plates
• EPS consumer food containers
• EPS consumer goods packaging (loose fill and moulded)
• Microbeads in personal health care products
• Helium balloon (releases)

The City of Darwin implemented a ban from use on council land from 1 January 2019 on single use plastic items including disposable coffee cups, smoothie cups, lids, straws, cutlery, stirrers, plates, bowls and takeaway containers.

More information

• Information on the NT circular economy strategy
• Information on the Darwin council land ban

What’s banned?

Banned from 1 October 2022:

• Cotton buds with plastic stems or with synthetic fibre
• Plastic drink stirrers
• Oxo- and photo-degradable plastic products
• Certain PVC food trays and containers
• Polystyrene takeaway packaging
• Expanded polystyrene (EPS) food and beverage packaging

Banned from 1 July 2023:

• Plastic produce bags for fresh unpackaged fruit and vegetables
• Plastic straws
• Plastic cutlery
• Plastic plates & bowls
• Plastic produce labels

All other PVC and polystyrene food and drink packaging will likely be phased out by mid-2026. Regulations have not been released.

Key notes

• Includes PVC trays and containers used for meat fish and poultry, fresh produce and baked goods only
• Includes Expanded Polystyrene sold at retail, including food service, and form-fill-seal pre-packaged
• Polystyrene takeaway packaging used to pack ready-to-eat food and beverages for immediate consumption, exempting pre-packaged off-site
• Exemptions for cold chain transport and protective packaging EPS.
• Exemptions for single-use cotton buds used for medical or scientific purposes.

More information

• Information on New Zealand ban