Everyday items to come with $11,000 fine under incoming plastic ban
Beginning in November, a new law will see single-use plastic items outlawed in NSW - with anyone caught supplying them risking a potential $11,000 fine.
The statewide move will be the second stage of the government’s crackdown on single-use items, which aims to stop 2.7 billion of these items from ending up in our natural environment over the next 20 years.
From November 1, single-use straws, stirrers, plastic cutlery, plates, bowls without spill-proof lids, and foodware and cups made from EPS (expanded polystyrene) will be prohibited, in a switch that has been welcomed by restaurant owners.
Single-use chopsticks, food picks, plastic-stemmed cotton buds, and personal care products that contain plastic microbeads, such as cleansers, exfoliants, toothpaste, shampoo and conditioner.
With the ban applying to retail and hospitality business, as well as charities and individuals undertaking activities for sporting, education or community purposes, there are some instances where the ban doesn’t apply.
Pre-packaged items where plastic items are integrated into the packing through an automated process, such as plastic straws attached to juice boxes or plastic bowls in frozen meals, won’t be affected by the ban, nor will using EPS trays for raw meat, seafood, fruit or vegetables.
Image: NSW Government
People with a disability or medical need will also be allowed to use single-use plastic straws, but businesses mustn’t make the straws accessible to customers or display them.
As for those who don’t follow the new rules, a NSW EPA spokesperson told 7News that financial penalties would be applied on a case-by-case basis.
As a result, individual suppliers such as sole traders could be issued with a $2750 “on-the-spot fine” or $11,000 court penalty, while corporations face a maximum penalty of $55,000, and manufacturers, wholesalers and distributors face $110,000 fines.
Ahead of the change, James Griffin and Mark Coure, the NSW Environment Minister and Multiculturalism Minister respectively, have spoken to 43,000 businesses to ensure small businesses are supported through the transition.
“(We’ve been trying) to help educate them about the change that’s coming, and provide them easy instructions on easy alternatives that are easier for the environment,” they said.
While some businesses have taken the financial hit of changing from single-use plastic to more eco-friendly options, which are often more expensive than plastic, some customers may see prices increase following the change.
It comes after NSW banned lightweight plastic shopping bags, including biodegradable, compostable and bio-plastic bags, earlier this year, bringing with it a fine of up to $275,000 for retailers who continued to provide them.
NSW isn’t the only state on its way to phasing out single-use plastics either, as each state has its own roadmap towards a plastic-free future.
With most of these roadmaps launching last year, it’s expected that many will be fully implemented by 2023.
Image: Getty Images