As Australia pushes toward a more environmentally friendly focus, a number of single-use plastics will be banned over the coming months and years.
WATCH BELOW: Why plastic bags need to be banned
While New South Wales banned single-use plastic last November under a new law, it seems the other states are beginning to follow suit.
Queensland is the latest state to outline their plan to ban disposable coffee cups within the next two years.
So, if you haven’t already, it might be time to invest in a keep cup and embrace the reusable life!
NSW has had a ban in place for lightweight plastic bags for just over a month now, with the legislation coming into effect on June 1, 2022.
Lightweight plastic bags, which are less than 35 microns in thickness at any part – have been outlawed, and should no longer be used in supermarkets under the majority of circumstances.
November 1 marks the next big change, with single-use plastic straws, cutlery, chopsticks, and food picks to be banned.
And the state remains serious about imposing the ban, threatening fines between $11,000 and $250,000 for businesses and distributors caught giving out single-use plastic.
While the Queensland coffee cup ban is set to come into place on September 1, 2024, they have also elected to ban a number of other single-use plastics on the same date, as well as a year prior in 2023.
Bans will come in to effect for cotton buds with plastic stems, expanded polystyrene loose packaging, plastic microbeads in personal care and cleaning products, and mass release of helium balloons.
At the same time as the coffee cup ban, we can also expect to see a ban on some polystyrene trays, single-use produce bags, balloon sticks, closures, and clips bread bag tags.
Following that, 2025 is expected to bring bans on bait bags, plastic dome lids, plastic wrapping on magazines, and takeaway containers.
These choices are expected to help with the amount of plastics Australia currently enters into landfills, given plastic can take up to 450 years to decompose in landfills.
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