Next single-use plastic items to be banned in SA, and when

More single-use items – including cotton buds and common household goods – are set to be banned in SA within a year. And disposable coffee cups are next in line.

In a little less than a year, South may could say goodbye to plastic plates and bowls, plastic-stemmed cotton buds, and plastic pizza savers.

The state government has unveiled an ambitious timetable to ban single-use plastic items after single-use straws, cutlery and stirrers were canned in 2021 – and polystyrene takeaway containers in March.

From next September, plastic-stemmed cotton buds and single-use plastic plates and bowls are set to be banned.

And in September 2024, plastic produce bags and plastic food containers and lids would be next in line under the proposed timetable.

Potential ban exemptions will be considered, such as single-use plastic straws, to allow continued access and supply to people living with a disability.

Environment Minister Susan Close said “time’s up” for single-use plastic.

“Single-use plastics are often used for moments but they last a lifetime in our environment,” she said.

Cotton buds, plastic pizza savers and plastic bowls and plates will be phased out next year. Picture: Supplied.

Dr Close said the government is building in time for businesses to move away from single-use plastics, and programs existed to assist businesses to change to better alternatives.

“Many businesses have seen the writing on the wall and have already moved away from single-use items to embrace reusable and compostable items.”

Community consultation of more than 3000 people earlier this year showed 97 per cent of respondents wanted more action on single-use items such as plastic bags and takeaway coffee cups.

Legislation will be drafted to introduced three stages for new bans of single-use plastics in SA. Draft legislation for the first phase of products to be banned on September 1, 2023, will be ready for consultation in February 2023.

Opposition leader David Speirs said he is “very pleased” to see the government make the changes, though it’s not going as quickly as he would have liked.

“”We set this up in such a way that you could very quickly add to the banned items as the community demanded … we would have liked to have seen this at least started about six months ago,” he said.

Mr Speirs said the quickest way to ban single-use plastic items in the state is by regulation instead of legislation.

“The way the laws were set up were in such a way so that regulation could be tabled in parliament to quickly ban items … unfortunately this Labor government’s been really keen to legislate for things you don’t actually need to legislate for.”