What are single-use plastics?
Single-use plastics are plastic items designed to be used once and then discarded. They can take hundreds of years to break down and can pollute the environment, injure wildlife and release chemicals harmful to people.
What items are being phased out?
The single-use plastic items currently being proposed for phase out in Tasmania are:
- Drinking straws, beverage stirrers, cutlery
- Lidded and unlidded bowls, and plates
- Takeaway food containers and plastic-lined noodle boxes
- Thick plastic shopping bags and barrier and produce bags
- Single serve condiment packages (e.g. sauce sachets) and plastic soy sauce packets (e.g. fish-shaped)
- Hot beverage cups and lids (e.g. coffee cup)
- Cold beverage cups and lids (e.g. smoothie cup)
- Pre-packaged and attached products (e.g. plastic straws on fruit boxes)
- Microbeads in personal health products and plastic-stemmed cotton buds
- Balloon sticks and ties and plastic confetti
- Lollipop sticks, pizza savers, bread tags and fruit stickers
- Polystyrene consumer goods packaging (loose, moulded, multi-service gelato containers and fruit and vegetable trays)
The full list of items is on the NRE Tas website.
Why are single-use plastics being phased out?
Single-use plastics generate large amounts of waste to landfill, pollute our environment, injure wildlife and contain chemicals harmful to human health. While single-use plastics are only used briefly, they can take hundreds of years to break down. This legislation will bring Tasmania into closer alignment with action already taken in all other states and territories.
When will different items be phased out?
The items are proposed to be phased out over two stages, two years apart (2025 and 2027). Feedback about timing will be considered during the development of the legislation.
Are we still on track for the phase out to occur by 2025?
In 2021, the Tasmanian Government committed to phasing out certain problematic single-use plastics across Tasmania by 2025, along with all other Australian states and territories. The phase out will commence once legislation has passed through State Parliament in 2025.
Who will the phase out apply to?
Once the legislation takes effect, it will be against the law for anyone to sell, supply, distribute or provide banned single-use plastic items and materials in Tasmania.
Exemptions may apply in some settings. Individuals or organisations that believe they use single-use items in settings where no suitable alternatives are available are encouraged to provide feedback as part of this consultation.
How long is the public consultation process open for?
Feedback can be provided over the six-week period between 20 August and 1 October 2024.
Further information about how you can make a submission is available on the consultation webpage.
Will support be provided to businesses to make change?
The Tasmanian Government is committed to supporting businesses and organisations in transitioning to alternative products and processes and has already committed $100 000 to doing so. Feedback that informs the approach to supporting businesses and organisations is encouraged.
What about people who use plastic straws for health and disability reasons?
The Tasmanian Government acknowledges that some individuals and organisations rely on certain single-use plastic items for safety and accessibility.
The draft legislation will have provision for exemptions to the phase outs in certain settings where no suitable alternative is available. Feedback that informs exemption requirements is encouraged.
Who will ensure the phase outs are complied with?
As well as taking a supportive and education-based approach, the Tasmanian Government will work closely with relevant stakeholders to develop an implementation plan for the phase outs that takes into account resourcing required for effective implementation and compliance. This separate stage of consultation will take place after feedback is received on the items proposed to be banned.
How will a single-use plastics ban affect businesses?
It is acknowledged there may be some impacts on businesses switching to alternative products so a full cost-benefit analysis will occur to help inform the implementation approach.
The Tasmanian Government is committed to supporting businesses in working out the best combination of strategies to suit their particular circumstances and minimise costs. Strategies include providing items such as straws and cutlery as needed rather than to every customer, assessing options for alternative products with suppliers, and encouraging BYO and dine-in reusable options.
This will be supported by funds already allocated to assist businesses with the transition.
What will it mean for the cost of living?
The Tasmanian Government is taking into consideration the cost of transitioning from single-use plastics on businesses and the community and is investigating how to support Tasmanians switch to reusable products.
Support provided to businesses is intended to limit the cost of transition and the potential for that to be passed onto customers.
It is expected that the market for alternative products will continue to become more competitive as more phase outs come into effect across Australia.
We want to hear about peoples’ concerns around costs through the discussion phase to inform implementation planning during the next stage of the project.
What about tourism businesses? Will the ban apply to the small shampoo and lotion bottles used by accommodation providers?
No. The proposed phase out will only include those items listed in the Discussion Paper, where they are made from problematic single-use plastics and the listed problematic materials . Businesses are encouraged to make a submission including potential impacts to assist in informing development of the legislation. A cost-benefit analysis will also be conducted.
What can Tasmanians do to support the phase out?
Tasmanians are encouraged to start making changes now by switching to reusable items such as drink bottles, cups and lunch containers. More information about changes people can make can be found on the ReThink Waste website.