Single-Use Plastic Ban in Victoria

Single-use shopping bag ban in Victoria was introduced on 1 January 2019, and includes all lightweight shopping bags which have a thickness of 35 microns or less at any part of the bag, including degradable, biodegradable and compostable bags.

However, regulations have been passed that ban the sale or supply of a wide range of single-use plastic items in Victoria. The new regulations will apply from 1 February 2023.

 

  • Single-use plastic straws
  • Single-use plastic cutlery
  • Single-use plastic plates
  • Single-use plastic beverage stirrers and sticks
  • Single-use plastic expanded polystyrene food and drink containers
  • Single-use plastic cotton bud sticks

The ban will include plastic items made from conventional, degradable and compostable plastics such as bioplastics.

Sustainability Victoria recommends businesses run down current stocks of the banned items in preparation for the ban, and avoid ordering any more of these items.

 

There are several proposed exemptions to the ban. Some of those include:

  1. Single-use plastic drinking straws for people who need them due to a disability or for medical reasons
  2. Single-use plastic cotton bud sticks for testing carried out for scientific, medical, forensic or law enforcement purposes
  3. Single-use plastic cutlery, where required, in correctional and mental health facilities to prevent physical harm or injury
  4. Until 1 November 2024, paper or cardboard plates lined with plastic
  5. Until 1 January 2026, any single use plastic item that is integrated into food or drink packaging (e.g., a single-use plastic spoon included in a yogurt tub).

 

 

 

The Victorian Government will first work with businesses to ensure they understand their obligations. However penalties apply for non-compliance.

Penalties apply for both offences, ranging from 60 penalty units for a natural person to 300 penalty for a body corporate.

The Environment Protection Authority (EPA) will enforce the ban. From 1 February 2023, non-compliance can be reported to the EPA via epa.vic.gov.au or by calling 1300 372 842.

 

The Victorian Government in association with the National Retail Association (NRA) is delivering a range or resources and activities to help businesses and organisations with the transition. Resources include a dedicated team to visit retailers and hospitality businesses, hosting a toll-free hotline, and holding information sessions every Friday at 11 am AEDT from the 14th October, 2022.

 

Our team can help your business through these changes. Get in touch today, or contact your local state or authority!

Disclaimer: Please check with your local / state authority for “Single-Use Plastic Bans” before purchasing any products from Castaway®.

Single-use Plastic Bans

 

Across Australia, different regulations are currently in place for single-use plastic items. These plans are a positive step towards avoiding waste and reducing the harm caused to our wildlife, including marine life, through litter and pollution. We can all do our part to support this by making the change to sustainable packaging.

Our team can help your business through these changes. Download our Single-Use Plastic Bans Chart.

 

Read the National Plastics Plan

Stage 1: 1 JULY 2022

  • Phaseout non compostable plastic packaging containing additive fragmentable technology that do that do not meet relevant compostable standards (AS4736-2006, AS5810-2020 and EN13432)
  • Phase out expanded polystyrene (EPS) in loose fill and moulded consumer packaging

 

Stage 2: 1 DECEMBER 2022

  • Phase out expanded polystyrene (EPS) food and beverage containers

 

2025: National Packaging Targets for industry

  • 100% of packaging is reusable, recyclable, or compostable
  • 70% of plastic packaging goes on to be recycled or composted
  • 50% average recycled content within packaging (20% for plastic packaging) – problematic and unnecessary single-use plastic packaging phased out (target 5 or NWPAP)

 

 

Read the NSW Plastics Action Plan

Stage 1: 1 JUNE 2022

  • Lightweight shopping bags (less than 35 microns thick)

 

Stage 2: 1 NOVEMBER 2022

  • Plastic straws (Bioplastics are not exempt. Exemptions are in place for members of the community to continue to access plastic straws for medical or disability requirements), click here to find out more.
  • Plastic stirrers (Bioplastics not exempt)
  • Plastic cutlery (Bioplastics not exempt)
  • Cotton-buds with plastic sticks
  • Plastic plates (Bioplastics not exempt)
  • Plastic bowls (Bioplastics not exempt. Excludes bowls designed or intended to have a leak-proof lid)
  • Expanded polystyrene food service items (Only EPS banned, can change to non-plastic or plastic cups or clamshells)

REVIEW IN 2024

  • Heavyweight plastic shopping bags
  • Barrier/ produce bags
  • Plastic cups and lids
  • Plastic lined coffee cups and lids (Not explicitly mentioned but expected to align with cups strategy)

 

Read the Single-Use Plastics Ban

Lightweight plastic shopping bags (less than 35 microns thick) were banned in November 2011.

STAGE 1: 1 JULY 2021

  • Plastic cutlery (Bioplastics and oxo-degradable not exempt. Select exemptions exist)
  • Plastic stirrers (Bioplastics and oxo-degradable not exempt. Select exemptions exist)
  • Expanded polystyrene (EPS) takeaway food and beverage containers (Prepackaged exempt. PLA bioplastic replacements are accepted)

 

STAGE 2: 1 JULY 2022

  • Plastic straws (Second round ban – Under current discussion with stakeholders*)
  • Plastic fruit and vegetable “barrier bags” (Compostable alternatives being accepted)
  • Cotton buds with plastic sticks
  • All other plastic products that are made from non-compostable degradable plastics. Compostable packaging alternatives are exempt.

 

Read the Single-Use Plastics Ban Plan

Lightweight plastic shopping bags (include 35 um or less at any part of the bag) were banned in November 2019. Government departments and agencies will phase out single-use plastics, where it is safe to do so, by February 2022 ahead of the February 2023 ban.

STAGE 1: 1 FEBRUARY 2023

  • Plastic straws (there are exemptions in place for members of the community to continue to access plastic straws for medical or disability requirements)
  • Plastic cutlery
  • Plastic stirrers
  • Expanded polystyrene (EPS) food and drink containers
  • Cotton bud sticks
  • Plastic plates
  • The above products made of oxo-degradable plastic are included in the ban

 

FUTURE STAGES

Longer-term consideration will be given to phasing out other problematic single-use plastic products such as plastic-lined coffee cups and lids, single-use plastic dinnerware and boutique or heavyweight plastic bags.

 

Read the Single-Use Plastics By-Law Information

The city of Hobart now has a by-law that bans certain single-use plastic food packaging, which will be enforceable from 1 July 2021.

STAGE 1: 1 JULY 2021 (Hobart)

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

*Exempt: Compostable plastics and other packaging products that are certified Industrially (AS4736, EN13432 or D6400) or home compostable (AS 5810) are allowed/exempt from the ban

 

Read the Single-Use Plastic Items Ban

Lightweight plastic shopping bags (includes 35 um or less at any part of the bag) were banned in July 2018. Queensland’s wider ban on the supply of single-use plastic items started on 1 September 2021. The single-use plastic items ban is part of Queensland’s plan to tackle plastic pollution and follows strong support from the community, retailers and industry organisations.

  • Single-use plastic straws (straws attached to shelf-ready, pre-packaged items are exempt) (there are exemptions in place for members of the community to continue to access plastic straws for medical or disability requirements)
  • Plastic stirrers and swizzle sticks
  • Plastic plates
  • Unenclosed plastic bowls
  • Plastic forks, spoons, knives, splayds, chopsticks, and food pics (cutlery attached to shelf-ready, pre-packaged items are exempt)
  • Expanded polystyrene (EPS) takeaway food containers
  • Expanded polystyrene (EPS) cups

*Exempt: Compostable plastics and other packaging products that are certified to the Australian Industrially (AS4736) or Australian home compostable (AS5810) standards are allowed/exempt from the ban.

 

Read the Single-Use Plastic Items Ban

Lightweight plastic shopping bags (includes 35 um or less at any part of the bag) were banned in September 2011. The City of Darwin put in place plastic bans in January 2019. These bans apply to types of disposable items that cannot be used at events on council land and at Darwin’s markets.

 

STAGE 1: 1 JANUARY 2019

  • Disposable cups (coffee and cold) and lids
  • Cutlery (and stirrers)
  • Plates and bowls
  • Takeaway containers
  • Straws (there are exemptions in places for members of the community to
    continue to access plastic straws for medical or disability requirements)
  • Balloons

*Exempt: Compostable plastics and other packaging products that are certified to the Australian Industrially (AS4736) or Australian home (AS5810) standards are allowed/exempt from the ban.

 

Read about Replace The Waste

South Australia’s Single-use and Other Plastic Products (Waste Avoidance) Act 2020 was the first legislation of its kind in Australia.

Stage 1: 1 MARCH 2021

  • Plastic straws (Bioplastics and oxo-degradable not exempt however there are exemptions in place for members of the community to continue to access plastic straws for medical or disability requirements)
  • Plastic stirrers (Bioplastics and oxo-degradable not exempt)
  • Plastic cutlery (Bioplastics and oxo-degradable not exempt)

Stage 2: 1 MARCH 2022

  • Expanded polystyrene (EPS) cups, bowls, plates, and containers (oxo-degradable products are not exempt)

EXEMPT: PLA lined cups, bowls and paper cups are exempt from the ban

 

Read the Plan for Plastics

On 13 June 2021 the State Government announced it was fast-tracking Western Australia’s Plan for Plastics.

STAGE 1: 1 JULY 2022

  • Plates
  • Bowls
  • Cutlery
  • Drink stirrers
  • Drinking straws (exemptions in place for members of the community to continue to access plastic straws for medical or disability requirements)
  • Cold beverage Cups
  • Thick plastic bags
  • Expanded polystyrene (EPS) takeaway food containers
  • Helium balloon releases

*Exempt: Compostable plastics and other packaging products that are certified to the Australian Industrially (AS4736) or Australian home compostable (AS5810) standards are allowed/exempt from the ban. Clear PLA cups although compostable to Australian standards is banned.
*Enforcement of Stage 1 regulations will start on 1 July 2022 for all items except for cups, which starts on 1 October 2022, to provide time for everyone to adapt.

STAGE 2: 1 JANUARY 2023 (Proposed)

  • Microbeads
  • Coffee cups/lids
  • Cotton buds with plastic shafts
  • Barrier/produce bags
  • Polystyrene packaging
  • Oxo-degradable plastics

The plan also includes actions for pre-packed fruit and vegetables, plastic beverage containers, takeaway food and beverage containers and plastic packaging.

 

Read about Phasing out hard to recycle and single use plastics

New Zealand will ban problematic plastics and hard-to-recycle food and drink packaging in three stages between late 2022 and July 2025. This plan is a positive step towards avoiding waste and reducing the harm caused to our soils, waterways and the ocean through litter and pollution.

STAGE 1: LATE 2022 (Proposed)

  • Polyvinyl chloride (PVC) meat trays
  • Rigid polystyrene (PS) takeaway packaging
  • Expanded polystyrene (EPS) food and beverage packaging including takeaway containers
  • Degradable plastic products (eg, oxo- and photo-degradable)
  • Plastic drink stirrers
  • Plastic stemmed cotton-buds, including PLA compostable cotton buds and drink stirrers

 

STAGE 2: MID 2023 (Proposed)

  • Plastic produce bags
  • Plastic plates, bowls and cutlery
  • Plastic straws (exemptions in place for members of the community to continue to access plastic straws for medical or disability requirements)
  • Plastic produce labels

 

STAGE 3: MID 2025 (Proposed)

  • All other PVC food and beverage packaging
  • All other PS food and beverage packaging

The government expects more work to be done on how to introduce phase-outs of certain types of expanded polystyrene, single-use cups (including coffee cups) and wed wipes.

 

The National Retail Association (NRA) Policy team are the leading experts on plastic bans across Australia, and can answer any of your questions on current and proposed bans in QLD, NSW, WA, SA, VIC and ACT. The NRA will work with retailers as they transition away from plastic. For more information, call the NRA Hotline on 1800 844 946 or visit their website.

 

Our team is also available to help you find alternative solutions. Get in touch today!

WA Plastic Ban

 

 

Plastics have become part of our everyday life. They are inexpensive, convenient and used in many applications. However, the single-use nature of many of these plastics contributes to a wasteful, take-make-dispose economy.

Community concerns about plastic waste is at an all-time high. Internationally, across Australia and Western Australia, there is community pressure and an expectation that governments and companies must do more to address the issues and challenges associated with single-use plastic.

Key Dates

The Western Australian Government has formalised plans to ban selected single-use plastic products across July and October 2022. In response to consultation feedback the State Government has released Western Australia’s Plan for Plastics. The plan’s preferred approach is avoidance of single-use plastics to mitigate the known impacts of single-use plastics on the environment and waste streams.

The plan is consistent with the waste hierarchy by promoting actions that:

  • prioritise avoiding single-use plastics
  • replace single-use items with reusable alternatives wherever possible
  • if it is not possible to use reusable items, choose non-plastic single-use alternatives that can be recovered, recycled or composted
  • minimise litter or contamination of waste treatment facilities by not using single-use plastics

The Plan for Plastics will be delivered over the short (end of 2021) and medium-term (by the end of 2022) and will be complemented by voluntary approaches.

From July 1, 2022

It will be an offence to sell or supply several disposable plastic items, including plastic items containing compostable plastics (unless specified)

Single-use plastic or disposable items to be banned from July 1, 2022 include the following items:

  • Plates: plastic plates made wholly, partly, or lined with plastic, designed for consuming food.
  • Bowls without lids: plastic bowls, without a lid, made wholly, partly, or lined with plastic, including clear PLA, designed for consuming food.
  • Food containers without lids: including unlidded food containers lined with plastic, unless certified compostable to AS standard
  • Plastic cutlery.
  • Plastic straws & stirrers.
  • Plastic bags (including heavyweight plastic bags) : Plastic bags with handles designed to carry goods purchased from a retailer, including all soft plastic shopping bags with handles, paper/cardboard bags with a polymer laminate and non-woven polypropylene bags with a minimum weight of 90gsm and stitched seems.
  • Expanded polystyrene takeaway food containers: All polystyrene takeaway food containers including trays, bowls and clam shell food containers.

From October 1, 2022

It will be an offence to sell or supply disposable plastic cold cups, including PET and clear PLA cups. Paperboard cups that are certified compostable to the Australian standard will be acceptable. Cold cup lids are not included in stage one bans.

  • Cups for cold beverages: Plastic cups. Includes all cold cups made wholly or in part of plastic, including clear PLA, designed to serve cold beverages, unless certified compostable to the AS standard.

Compliant Ranges

Exemptions 

Exemptions apply to the following paper lined products that are certified to the Australian compostability standards AS4736 or AS5810:

  • Lined paperboard bowls that are certified to AS4736-2006 or AS5810-2010.
  • Lined paperboard cups where the product is certified to AS4736-2006 or AS5810-2010.

Find out more here.

Additionally, these regulations will have exemptions for straws:

  • The Government recognize the need for some individuals to use single-use plastic items to maintain their quality of life and that alternatives are not appropriate. A Plastics Straws Working Group has been established to work with disability, health and aged-care sectors, to develop regulatory exemptions that enable ongoing access to straws for individuals who require them.

    * These specifications apply to W.A and do not apply in all states.

    Enforcement & Penalties

    Under the new regulations, it is proposed that it will be an offence to:
    • Sell or supply a banned plastic item
    • Provide false or misleading information about a banned plastic item
    • Release any number of helium-filled balloons into the outdoor environment
    • Arranging or permitting the release (by any number of people) of any
    number of helium-filled balloons into the outdoor environment
    • A non-prescribed business selling or supplying individual or packs of
    plastic straws
    • A wholesaler or supplier selling or supplying plastic straws to a business
    that is not a prescribed business

    Find out more here.

    What You Can Do Now

    Businesses are encouraged to identify whether banned items still need to be provided to customers, and if so, what they can be replaced with alternative products made from a non-plastic material or are reusable.

    To prepare for the proposed bans it is important to consider:

    • Current stock levels of these items and to run down stocks of these items.
    • Decide whether your business or organisation will sell or supply alternatives items or move to reusable items (e.g. reusable party kits with plates, cutlery, cups, etc.)
    • Discuss alternative items with suppliers
    • Displaying signage regarding the ban at your premises

    We have a wide range of waste regulation compliant products for you to choose from. If you need assistance trying to navigate these changes and determine what you need, contact our team on (07) 3853 5800 or email enquiries@mpmmarketing.com.au.

    Your Compliant Options

     

     

     

    We’ve given Enviroboard™ a fresh new look

     

    In the course of the company’s history, spanning over 40 years not only has Castaway® brand been changed – their product designs have also been modified to help them stay fresh and relevant.

    Castaway® Food Packaging are always evolving and reinvigorating the iconic brand, as we focus on the brand’s ability to be distinctive, memorable and meaningful. All Enviroboard™ products will have a brand new product image – leading the way, will be the range of clams.

    The new Enviroboard™ clams feature a more earthy finish, and a kraft brown colour. This visual makeover was made to reflect current trends. Enviroboard™ food packaging range has been a part of the Australian takeaway and meal delivery landscape for as long as many of us can remember.

    It simply needed to be refreshed to better fit today’s definition of eco-friendly, natural, and that’s as much about product aesthetic as it is about product performance and lifecycle.

    What are the benefits?

    Our Enviroboard™ range is made from sugarcane bagasse – the fibrous material left in the production of sugarcane, our Enviroboard™ range has been designed with performance and sustainability in mind. It includes clams, plates, bowls and containers (with recyclable clear lids) – known to have fulfilled their needs to customers who love their dependable performance, aesthetic and sustainability.

    Our products’ sustainability sets the standards for most consumers on today’s environmentally conscious age. With single-use plastic bans currently being discussed and legislated around Australia and New Zealand, more and more brands are turning towards eco-friendly products. To find out about the
    latest regulation updates, head over to our blog here.

     

    How does your business benefit by using Enviroboard™ takeaway packaging?

    Once you switch to food packaging made from eco-friendly materials, you promote an environmentally friendly image that inspires trust in your business.

    Here’s some of the benefits:

    • Better Brand Image – A brand should always be conscious of the concernsof its customers. More and more brands choose to be as sustainable as possible to reflect the growing concern about issues such as climate change and environmental pollution.
    • Customer Loyalty – Customers who seek to do their bit for the planet will always stay loyal to a brand that is environmentally conscious.
    • Competitive Advantage – Many studies show consumers prefer environmentally conscious brands over their competitors. Using sustainable products will give your brand an exceptional edge over the competition.
    • Added Customer Base – Going sustainable will automatically draw the attention of consumers that are pro-environment. By using Enviroboard® home compostable products, you can easily draw more attention to your business.

     

    * Certified Industrially compostable to EN13432. Certified home compostable to OK compost HOME

     

    The new Enviroboard™ range of clams is currently available in Australia, and expected to roll out to the New Zealand market by the end of this year.

    We offer a wide range of food packaging supplies, which includes paper bags, paper cups, cold cups, trays and cleaning supplies designed to cater to all of your packaging business needs. We take great pride in offering eco-friendly alternatives to custom branding solutions.

    Contact to our Customer Care team for more information or to request a FREE sample pack.

     

     

    Summer Sizzlers

     

    Sun, fun and food… There’s nothing like a bit of sunshine to encourage people to get out and about – and this Summer many of us will be taking advantage of the warmer weather to enjoy some healthy food and drinks.

    More and more consumers are willing to pay more for brands of foods sold in eco-friendly packaging products.Castaway® Food Packaging offer a wide range of packaging to present the most on-trend healthy food dishes with style. Our products’ sustainability sets the standards for most And customers make their own contribution by disposing of the packaging in the right way, making sure it’s recycled or composted.

     

     

     

     

    Kick start your foam free journey!

    ‘Make the Switch’ to Castaway® Food Packaging. As Australia continues to ramp up policy and regulation on single-use plastics, it’s time to choose products that are made with sustainably sourced materials, and ideally – are locally manufactured.

    At the national level, governments have made their expectations clear with the Environment Ministers Meeting listing eight priority plastic items to be phased out nationally by 2025, and the National Plastics Plan setting ambitious time frames for the phase-out of some items by 2022 to combat mounting plastic waste – Polystyrene foam (commonly used to packaging consumer goods) is one of them, and will be phased out in Australia by mid-2022.


    There’s no single solution to plastic pollution. We need to do a better job at capturing plastic waste, and recycling it back into new high value goods. But we also need to reduce unnecessary plastic use – and that should include banning foam.

    At Castaway, we have welcomed many aspects of the plan – which also includes beginning the phase-out of polystyrene food and beverage containers. Timelines have also been agreed across our supply chain since the targets were announced in 2018. We have a range of tools and resources to help businesses make the changes needed, and will continue to support local businesses to switch to alternative products whenever and wherever possible.

    We embrace the Australian Packaging Covenant’s Sustainable Packaging Guidelines (SPG) and will formally adopt them when designing proprietary products for specific customers.

     

    Most state governments in Australia have planned to implement a single-use plastic ban. This can get quite confusing at time.

    So far, only Queensland and ACT have legislated bans on foam, while the City of Hobart’s bylaw banning some single-use plastics came into effect 1 July 2021. Other states and territories are set to follow.

    Our team is well placed to help you navigate the ever-changing foodservice landscape. For more information, please get in touch with us.

     

    Send someone a gift… of coffee!

     

    Coffee is no laughing matter to Australians, which means quality beans and brewing kits are a home necessity.

    In a time when things are so up and down, getting a little surprise in the mail can mean the world to someone else. Whether there’s a birthday on the horizon, or maybe you’ve notice a friend has been feeling a little down, a coffee gift pack might just be the pick-me-up they need. And hey, there’s no one saying you can’t send one to yourself, too!

    We are proud of our coffee culture, the quality and standards that we have set for ourselves and the rest of the world recognises that.

    Thankfully, along with quality beans, Australian-made packaging options in whatever sizes designed for your ideal preparation, storage, and transportation are always available to you – these are the cream to the crop.

     

    CASTAWAY® WINDOW PLATTERSMade from sustainably sourced brown kraft paper, our Window Platters feature a snap-on, clear lid options – providing quality and style, and showcase your beautiful treats and gifts recipients will surely love!

     

     

    COFFEE BAGSYou can now recreate the café experience from the comfort of your customer’s home or office with our range of coffee bags. Check out the range, the possibilities are endless when your customers are becoming their own barista.

    Bags are individually packed and heat sealed to ensure ease of preparation, convenience and to keep your beans fresh between brews.

     

    NEED SOME FOOD TO GO WITH THAT DELIVERY COFFEE?Check out our range of food packaging.

     

     

    Queensland – Get ready for the single-use plastic ban!

    In a bid to tackle pollution and environmental damage, Queensland became the second state after South Australia to pass bans on single-use plastics.

    During Queensland Government community consultation, 94% of survey respondents supported a ban on single-use plastic straws, cutlery and stirrers.

    This plastics ban comes on the back of other state-wide initiatives already implemented to curtail plastic pollution such as its container refund scheme and the ban on the supply of lightweight, single-use plastic shopping bags.

    10 March 2021
    The Waste Reduction and Recycling (Plastic Items) Amendment Act 2021 was passed by the Queensland Parliament. The Act bans the sale or supply of single-use plastic items in Queensland, from 1 September 2021.

    This ban is part of Queensland’s plan to tackle plastic pollution and follows strong support from the community, retailers and industry organisations.

    Stage 1 – 1 September 2021
    The legislation is due to come into effect on 1 September, 2021 and will prohibit the sale and/or supply of the following single-use plastic items.

    Stage 2 – Date to be confirmed
    Although no indicative date has been specified, the Queensland Government have expressed that a second phase of banning is under discussion. The products under consideration include: coffee and plastic cups, heavyweight plastic shopping bags and plastic balloon sticks.An exemption applies to plastic straws that form part of a product, and to cutlery that forms part of a product.

    Examples:

    • A straw attached to a juice box
    • A fork included in a pre-packed salad
    • A spoon attached to a yoghurt container

    Additionally, the following businesses* are exempt and can continue to supply banned plastic items:

    • Clinics or facilities that provide care to persons with a disability or health needs
    • Hospitals
    • Dental clinics
    • Medical clinics
    • Pharmacies
    • Aged care facilities
    • Medical suppliers
    • Schools

    * These specifications apply to Queensland and do not apply in all states.

    These products will be phased out immediately, and penalties apply for failure to comply.

    The Environment Protection Authority will enforce the legislation against single-use plastic products in Queensland.

    To find out what penalties apply in Queensland, the full Bill is available here.

    Businesses are encouraged to identify whether banned items still need to be provided to customers, and if so, what they can be replaced with.

    The National Retail Association (NRA), a member of the Queensland Government’s Single-use Plastic Items Ban Stakeholder Advisory Group (SAG), has been appointed to work with businesses to ensure they understand the ban and what they must do to comply, as well as options to manage excess stock. For more information, call the National Retail Association Hotline on 1800 844 946 or visit their website.

    We have a wide range of waste regulation compliant products for you to choose from. If you need assistance trying to navigate these changes and determine what you need, contact our team on (07) 3853 5800 or email enquiries@mpmmarketing.com.au.

     

    Tackling the Plastic Challenge – July 2021

     

    Governments are continuing to ramp up policy and regulation on single-use plastics. At the national level, governments have made their expectations clear with the Environment Ministers Meeting listing eight priority plastic items to be phased out nationally by 2025, and the National Plastics Plan setting ambitious time frames for the phase out of some items by 2022.

    Three states and territories have legislated bans on some single-use plastics and others are set to follow, while the City of Hobart’s bylaw banning some single use plastics comes into effect 1 July 2021.

     

     

    South Australia’s was the first state to ban on single-use plastics. Legislation passed in 2020 with a staged ban commencing 1 March 2021, to be completed 1 March 2022. Products included in the ban:

    • 1 March 2021: Plastic straws, stirrers and cutlery, as well as problematic bioplastic versions of these items.
    • 1 March 2022: Expanded polystyrene (EPS) foodservice items (cups, bowls, plates and containers) and all oxo-degradable products

    Sources:

     

    Hobart City Council was the first council to pass legislation to ban single-use plastics at takeaway food retailers in March 2020. The City now has a by-law that bans single-use plastics at takeaway food retailers, which is in place from 1 July 2021.

    • 1 July 2021: All plastic single-use takeaway packaging. Compostable plastics
      that are certified home (AS 5810) and industrially (AS 4736) compostable to
      the Australian standards are exempt from the ban.

    Sources:

     

    Queensland passed legislation to ban a selection of single-use plastics on 11 March 2021, to be effective on 1 September 2021. Products included in the ban:

    • 1 September 2021: Plastic straws, stirrers, cutlery, plates, bowls, expanded
      polystyrene (EPS) cups and containers. Compostable plastics that are certified
      home (AS 5810) and industrially (AS 4736) compostable to the Australian
      standards are exempt from the ban.

    Sources:

     

    The NSW Government will gradually eliminate single-use plastics under a new Plastics Plan and Waste Strategy set to be legislated later this year.

    • By 31 December 2021: Lightweight plastic bags
    • By the end of 2022: Plastic straws, plastic stirrers, plastic cutlery, expanded polystyrene food service items, cotton buds with plastic sticks, microbeads in rinse-off personal care and cosmetic products

    Sources:

     

    Legislation expected to be passed in February 2022 with a single-use plastics ban introduced in 2023. Products proposed for the ban:

    • February 2023: Plastic straws, cutlery, plates, drink stirrers, expanded polystyrene (EPS) food and drink containers, and plastic cotton bud sticks. Currently, there is no mention of compostable plastics.

    Sources:

     

    The West Australian Government has fast-tracked its Plan for Plastic. The new timeframe will see WA’s Plan for Plastic fully implemented by the end of 2022, four years earlier than originally planned. WA’s Plan for Plastics provides a roadmap towards a more sustainable, plastic-free WA by implementing
    regulations to ban plastic items in a two-stage approach.

    • Short-term actions – 2020-21: Plates, bowls, cups, cutlery, stirrers, straws, thick plastic bags, polystyrene food containers, helium balloon releases.
    • Medium-term actions – 2021-22: Microbeads, coffee cups/lids, polystyrene cups, cotton buds with plastic shafts, barrier/ produce bags, polystyrene packaging, oxo-degradable plastic
    • Complementary actions: Prepacked fruit and vegetables, plastic beverage containers, takeaway food and beverage containers, plastic packaging

    Sources:

     

    The New Zealand Government has announced plan to ban some plastic products by July 2025. The three-stage plan to phase our hard-to-recycle plastic packaging will take place over the next four years.

    • Stage 1: Late 2022: PVC meat trays, polystyrene takeaway packaging, EPS food and drink packaging, oxo-degradable plastics, plastic drink stirrers and plastic stemmed cotton buds
    • Stage 2: Late 2022: Plastic produce bags, plastic plates, bowls and cutlery, plastic straws and plastic produce labels
    • Stage 3: Mid 2025: All other PVC and polystyrene food and beverage packaging

    Sources:

     

    MPM Marketing services embraces the APC’s Sustainable Packaging Guidelines and will formally adopt them when designing proprietary products for specific customers as well as stock containers for use by all customers. During this design process, we seek to balance environmental objectives with market appeal, warehousing and distribution efficiencies.

    MPM Marketing Services applies sustainable design principles in all of its product development activities. In line with the Sustainable Packaging Guidelines, Sustainability is embedded into the product development process at MPM Marketing and these guidelines are being applied to both new and existing items as part of our commitment to the Australian Packaging Covenant.