Single-use plastics: South Australian groups lining up for trial
One of Adelaide’s most popular shopping strips wants to lead the way on banning single-use plastics — it’s one of 10 organisations vying to take part in the SA Government’s initial trial.
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South Australia’s nation-leading plan to ban single-use plastics has prompted groups to line up to take part in a plastic-free trial.
Twenty five groups have put up their hands to advise the State Government on the way forward, while Norwood’s popular Parade shopping strip is among 10 organisations vying to lead the way in a trial.
The plastic free precincts will trial banning a range of single-use plastics, including drinking straws, coffee cups, plastic drink containers, plastic bags, cutlery and polystyrene takeaway containers, for at least 12 months.
They’ll be used as guinea pigs to ascertain what works and what doesn’t as Environment Minister David Speirs drafts legislation to ban certain plastics in South Australia, expected to be released for public consultation by the end of the year.
Mr Speirs hopes the laws to be tabled in State Parliament next year, with initial action taken against plastic straws, drink stirrers and cutlery.
Norwood Payneham and St Peters Mayor Robert Bria said the council had already taken steps to reduce plastic waste, including by helping Parade traders transition to reusable coffee cups, and taking part in a trial was the next logical step.
He said the Parade was the ideal location for a plastic free precinct because of the high volume of single-use plastics used.
Businesses would have to opt-in to ban single-use plastics, but would receive assistance from environmental group the Boomerang Alliance, who will rollout the trial program.
“The Parade is often looked at as Adelaide’s premier main street and we’ve taken the lead in other initiatives before, such as being one of the first shopping strips to ban smoking,” Mr Bria said.
“It’s a real opportunity to make headway into the amount of plastic that goes to landfill. If you’re going to be involved you want to choose the places that will make the biggest impact.
“We’re willing to give it a go and we’re pretty confident with the right messaging that we can get a good response from local businesses.”
Mr Bria said being involved would also help NP&SP deal with the impact of China Sword — where China banned the import of certain waste products — leaving councils across Australia to deal with more than a million tonnes of extra waste.
“Anything that goes towards helping with China Sword is something we’ll consider. It’ll be some help to the problem but it won’t be a silver bullet,” he said.
Mr Speirs said the trial was a “first step” towards phasing out single-use plastics in the state, with successful bidders to be revealed in coming weeks.
“It’s our community and our citizens that will lead the change in behaviour as part of South
Australia’s first trials into plastic free living through our precinct pilot approach,” he said.
“Our first step is to work with the precincts who have a clear commitment and willingness to work with government to trial reducing single use plastics and testing innovative solutions and
alternatives.”
Twenty five organisations applied to take part in the State Government’s stakeholder taskforce, which Mr Speirs said confirmed “what our previous surveys and research told us”.
“We can’t continue on our current path with no plan to address the impact of single use plastics on our communities and our environment,” he said.