Business, environment groups react to South Australian Government push to ban single-use plastic

South Australians “need to accept a little inconvenience” for the sake of the environment according to a key business leader backing a State Government push to ban single-use plastics.

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South Australians “need to accept a little inconvenience” for the sake of the environment, says a key business leader backing a State Government push to ban single-use plastics.

Green groups have also welcomed Environment Minister David Speirs’s bid to cut out disposable plastic straws, coffee cups, cutlery and shopping bags.

The Government is seeking public feedback on banning the items and expanding the state’s container deposit scheme.

Business SA chief executive officer Nigel McBride was “broadly” supportive of a single-use plastic ban, describing it as “a small inconvenience when you look at the pay-off to our economy and to tourism”. “We all need to accept a little inconvenience, not only so that we can live in a city that we’re proud of, but so that we can benefit from having a clean, green environment,” he said.

Mr McBride said the cost and process of transitioning to plastic alternatives would need to be “sensibly” managed but it was necessary to address the annual cost to councils, government and business of dealing with litter and pollution.

“We’ve seen how much of an impact rubbish can have on some communities around the world and we can avoid that happening by putting up with small inconveniences, such as banning single-use plastics including straws and plastic-lined coffee cups,” he said.

Australian Hotels Association SA general manager Ian Horne said many hoteliers were already offering alternatives such as straws made from paper or even pasta.

Mr Horne said there was “a cost that comes with that (change)” and operators would need an accessible, affordable supply of alternative green products.

Single-use plastics including coffee cups, straws, cutlery and shopping bags should be banned, Environment Minister David Speirs says

He said the AHA would make a submission to the Government’s consultation and seek answers on the time frames it had in mind.

Conservation SA chief executive Craig Wilkins said it was “time for stronger action” on the proliferation of plastic, citing a recent State of the Environment report which showed per capita waste in SA grew by more than 40 per cent over the past 15 years.

Opposition Leader Peter Malinauskas said Labor was “open-minded to any ideas that will pursue an environmental cause in an appropriate way” but would seek “closer analysis”.

Greens environment spokeswoman Senator Sarah Hanson-Young said the phase out of single-use plastics should be done nationwide.

Senator Hanson-Young said authorities in Bali had announced a ban on single-use plastics late last month and Australia “should follow”.