Plastic ban: Jetty Rd Brighton wants to trial a single-use ban
Finding a plastic straw or spoon on this beachside shopping strip could be an impossible task by the end of the year — as the seaside suburb puts its hand up to trial a single-use plastic ban.
- SA to ban single-use plastics
- South Australians support a single-use plastic ban
- David Speirs wants to ban single-use plastics
- Business and environment groups react to single-use ban push
A popular beachside shopping strip wants to be a pioneer in phasing out single-use plastics, putting up its hand to take part in a year-long State Government trial.
Brighton’s Jetty Rd strip will apply to become a plastic-free precinct, leading the way in banning single-use items before legislation is introduced in State Parliament next year.
Environment Minister David Speirs told the Sunday Mail the precincts would hopefully include a shopping centre, shopping strip and sports centres.
The intention is they would be used as a model of “best practice" of how to rollout a ban.
The Advertiser revealed draft legislation banning single-use plastic straws, stirrers and cutlery will be released for public consultation later this year, with SA to become the first Australian state to take action.
Mr Speirs hopes to ban polystyrene takeaway containers and cups within 12 months of the legislation passing State Parliament, but says further consideration is needed before banning thicker plastic bags, plastic-lined coffee cups and takeaway containers.
Registrations for plastic-free precincts close on July 26, with Mr Speirs hoping to have them operating by the end of the year.
The precincts would focus on moving away from plastic straws, cutlery, coffee cups, plastic bags and polystyrene food packaging — replacing them with biodegradable or compostable alternatives — as a minimum requirement.
An expert organisation will be appointed to oversee the precincts during the 12 trial.
Jetty Road Traders founder Jenny Tuck said restaurants and cafes in the strip had been phasing out single-use plastics over the last year or so, and being part of a trial made sense.
“We’d be really keen to be waving the flag for this kind of change,” she said.
Opposition environment spokeswoman Susan Close said she was generally supportive of the ban and stressed a need to “get plastics out of our waste and litter streams”.
“But we’ll be watching very carefully how the Government proposes to make the transition,” she said.
“We don’t want consumers to be unfairly impacted and we need to ensure a smooth transition for businesses.”
Greens Senator Sarah Hanson-Young heralded the ban as “real leadership” and called on the Federal Government to impose a national ban.
“South Australians are proud of their environmental credentials. We’ve led the way on renewables, and now the Government is listening to the people and moving beyond single-use plastics,” she said.
“It’s well past time to act on this issue. With the extinction crisis looming, we know reducing pollution is an important step.”