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Single-use plastics banned in Victoria

New laws banning problematic single-use plastics from sale or supply in Victoria come into effect from Wednesday, 1 February.

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Flagged earlier last year, the ban will include plastic items made from conventional, degradable and compostable materials, including bioplastics:

  • Drinking straws
  • Cutlery (including knives, forks, spoons, chopsticks, sporks, splades, food picks)
  • Plates
  • Drink-stirrers and sticks
  • Expanded polystyrene food service items and drink containers. This includes expanded polystyrene plates, cups, bowls, clam shells and any cover or lid that is also made from expanded polystyrene.
  • Cotton bud sticks.

Exemptions

There are five exemptions where banned single-use plastic items can continue to be used in Victoria. These are for specific circumstances where items are required for health and safety reasons or where suitable alternatives to a sub-set of banned items are not currently available. These include:

  • Single-use plastic drinking straws for people who need them due to a disability or for medical reasons
  • Single-use plastic cotton bud sticks for testing carried out for scientific, medical, forensic or law enforcement purposes
  • Single-use plastic cutlery where required in correctional and mental health facilities to prevent physical harm or injury
  • Until 1 November 2024 paper or cardboard plates lined with plastic
  • Until 1 January 2026 any single-use plastic item that is integrated into food or drink packaging (e.g., a single-use plastic spoon included in a yogurt tub).

Reducing plastic pollution is a key pillar of Victoria’s Circular Economy Plan, Recycling Victoria: A new economy. Banning problematic single-use plastics will reduce plastic pollution.

Businesses should have run down current stocks of the banned items in preparation for the ban, and avoided ordering any more.

Reusable containers are recommended as an easy, affordable and sustainable solution businesses can adopt to manage the single-use plastic ban.

More information and frequently asked questions are available via the Victorian Government’s single-use plastics ban page, while further resources for business can be found here.

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