The Government of Western Australia (WA) announced over the weekend that it was fast-tracking its ban on single-use plastics, with the measure now set to roll out at the end of the year.
The ban will commence in two stages, with the first targeting plastic items such as cutlery, straws and polystyrene food containers. The second – which is to be completed by the end of 2022 – will extend to items including produce bags, cotton buds and microbeads. Overall, the new ramp up accelerates the state’s plastics ban by four years.
WA has already proven itself a forerunner in the war on plastic, becoming the first state in Australia to phase out takeaway coffee cups and single-use plastic lids by 2022. Similar measures have been undertaken by New South Wales (NSW), with the state’s Government also announcing over the weekend that it would be banning single-use plastics over the next year.
The measures have been applauded by environmental groups such as the Australian Marine Conservation Society (AMCS), with plastics campaign manager Shane Cucow saying he ‘commend(s)’
Environment Minister Amber-Jade Sanderson and the McGowan Government for their stance against plastic waste.
“With their new commitments, WA will be the first to ban thick plastic bags, showing ocean lovers that this government is serious about stopping plastic bags from hurting wildlife,” Cucow states in a media release.
“With this timeline, WA will soon lead the nation in the race to ban single-use plastics lethal to ocean wildlife.”
He also called on Tasmania and the Northern Territory to step up their efforts, as they are currently the only Australian regions without a plastic-ban scheme.
“Every day we wait, we lose more animals to the scourge of plastic pollution,” added Mr Cucow. “With every other state moving to ban notorious plastics like straws, cutlery and polystyrene, it’s time for Tasmania and the Northern Territory to act.”
Australia has nation-wide packaging targets which call for an overall phase-out of single use plastic by 2025. While strongly pushed for, this target is reportedly voluntary.
