Swapping out single use plastics

Half of all plastic produced in the world is designed to be used only once—and then thrown away. This is a huge contributor to the 300 million tonnes of plastic waste created every year, almost equivalent to the weight of the entire human population.

The Queensland Government is taking action to fight plastic waste and pollution, starting

with a ban on some single-use plastic items.

Single-use plastic items included in the ban:

• Straws
• Stirrers
• Plates and bowls
• Cutlery
• Expanded polystyrene takeaway food containers and cups

What are the alternatives to use?

The alternatives to any banned plastics are to avoid their use in the first place, try reusable items instead or switch to non-plastic or certified Australian standard compostable products.

Check that all single-use items are certified to the Australian compost standard. Note there are two different symbols, one for home composting and the other through a commercial composter. There are some other symbols saying they are home compostable, but they are not certified. These are the only certified compost symbols to look out for.

Who does it involve?

All Queensland businesses and not-for-profit organisations are required to stop supplying banned single-use plastic items, including supermarkets, cafes, hotels and takeaway food shops. There are some exceptions such as medical providers who can supply to Queenslanders with disability or healthcare needs.

For further information

Queensland Government: qld.gov.au/plasticsban

National Retailers Association: qldplasticsban.com.au/

Check out the Boomerang Alliance plasticfreeplaces.org/

This article is sourced from the QLD Department of Environment and Science website and Boomerang Alliance fact sheet.