The Queensland government will commence the prohibition of single-use plastic items with straws, stirrers, cutlery and plates
The Queensland government has decided to ban single-use plastic items such as straws, stirrers, cutlery and plates. (Credit: sabines from Pixabay)
Australian state Queensland has launched new legislation to ban single-use plastic items in the state, as part of the sustainable efforts.
Under the new act, the Queensland government will start the prohibition of single-use plastic items with straws, stirrers, cutlery and plates.
The government has decided to implement a new bill to minimise the harmful impact of plastic waste on the state’s waterways, marine life and environment.
The new bill will also facilitate to ban more single-use plastic items in the future
The new bill will also facilitate to ban more single-use plastic items such as coffee cups, polystyrene cups, takeaway food containers and heavyweight plastic bags in the future, in addition to banning the supply and sale of single-use plastic straws, stirrers, cutlery and plates.
Currently, items such as single-use plastic straws that are part of juice box packaging will not be included in the ban, allowing the government to coordinate with packaging and product manufacturers to develop more sustainable options.
The ban on single-use plastic items is part of the state government’s approach to supporting the initiative “Tackling Plastic Waste: Queensland’s Plastic Pollution Reduction Plan.”
Queensland Environment and the Great Barrier Reef Minister Leeanne Enoch said: “First our government banned single-use plastic bags, then we introduced the highly successful Containers for Change program, and now we have taken the next step in our war on plastic waste by introducing this Bill,
“In March this year, we asked Queenslanders to decide the future of single-use plastic items and we received a resounding response that was very clear.
“Almost 20,000 responses were received, with 94% of submissions in favour of a ban.”
In November 2018, the Queensland said that more than 10 million containers have been returned through Containers for Change scheme.