South Australia to ban single-use plastics

They litter our streets, beaches and oceans. Now action is finally being taken against single-use plastics.

The SA Government will 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
• INSIGHT: We review 10 years of the plastic bag ban

Plastic straws, drink stirrers and cutlery will be banned from South Australia as part of an ambitious push to lead the nation on single-use plastics.

A taskforce will be established and draft legislation released for public discussion later this year as Environment Minister David Speirs acts on “overwhelming” public support for a ban.

Mr Speirs told The Advertiser he hoped to introduce new laws into State Parliament next year.

Polystyrene cups and takeaway containers are next on Mr Speirs’ hit-list once straws, cutlery and stirrers are banned.

But he said “further consideration” was needed before taking action against plastic bags, coffee cups and takeaway containers.

SA will be the first Australian state or territory to ban single-use plastic items but Mr Speirs has stressed business groups will be given adequate time to transition.

The ACT Government has also released a discussion paper to gauge public support on banning items but is yet to take action.

It is estimated South Australians use about 255 million plastic straws and 210 million plastic-lined takeaway coffee cups each year.

“SA is continuing to lead the nation and set the agenda in recyclables and waste management,” Mr Speirs said.

“We led the way with our container-deposit scheme, we were ahead of the pack on plastic bag reform and now we will lead the country on single-use plastics.

“The community has called for swift action on single-use plastic products. Social and corporate action is already under way on some of these items, and there are readily availability alternatives.”

Mr Speirs announced his desire to ban single-use plastics from SA when he launched a discussion paper in January.

Almost 97 per cent of respondents to the paper replied that government action was needed to curb the amount of plastic littering the environment and waterways.

SA has consistently led the way in reducing waste. The state was the first to implement a container-deposit scheme in 1977 and to ban plastic bags at supermarket check-outs in 2009.

Conservation Council of SA chief executive Craig Wilkins said the state should be keeping up its leadership.

“It’s a real key part of our state pride and it’s beyond politics,” he said.

“It’s a part of who we are and there are genuine first-mover advantages when you make a shift like this.

“Plastic waste remains a huge and ongoing problem everywhere in the world.”

Business SA spokesman Anthony Penney said he was generally supportive of eliminating single-use plastics and that SA was in an “advantageous” position to lead the nation.

But he said a transition period was needed to avoid unexpected problems.

“In some industries it’s easier said than done and it’s those examples that usually don’t come to the fore until you’re implementing a ban,” Mr Penney said.

A survey of the organisation’s members found 90 per cent wanted to move away from single-use plastics within three years.

Action on single-use plastics has been taken around the world as concern grows about the amount of waste in our oceans, at beaches and the environment, at a rate of a full garbage truck every minute

Bans on certain items already have been announced or implemented in places such as France, Canada, the US cities of Seattle, Malibu and New York City, India and the Indonesian island of Bali.

Customers and businesses must lead the way on reducing waste

My Grandma Ben manager Taylor Peplow Ball with a keep cup. The shop does not issue customers with take away cups. Picture: Tom Huntley

Bowden cafe My Grandma Ben has not used takeaway coffee cups since it opened its doors last year, and is urging the State Government to follow suit.

Manager Taylor Peplow Ball said she would be in “total support” of a ban on single-use plastics, identifying takeaway cups and containers, plastic bags, straws and cutlery as items that should be eliminated from the state.

Customers must bring keep-cups or sit in to enjoy a coffee at My Grandma Ben, which does all it can to minimise food and plastic waste.

“We think it’s constant small changes that will add up to making real change,” Ms Peplow Ball said.

“It was a bit of a challenge at first but people just need to change their habits. That’s starting to happen, so that’s really good.”

Jamie Stott, owner of sustainable-living store EcoLateral, said she advocated a ban on some single-use plastics in her response to a State Government discussion paper, including plastic straws, cutlery, takeaway containers and coffee cups.

But Ms Stott said the problem wouldn’t just be fixed by government action, and called on businesses to do their bit to reduce single-use plastics.

“It’s already happening, places like UberEats are not handing out plastic cutlery unless you opt-in to receive it,” she said.

“But then you’ve got supermarket chains marketing thousands of small plastic items to children, so there’s still lots to do.”

Ms Stott said SA had an obligation to “lead the way” because it had done so before by being the first state to ban plastic bags at supermarket check-outs, as well as the first to implement a container deposit scheme in 1977.