It’s the end of the road for single-use plastics, including bags, straws, cotton buds, plates, bowls, and cutlery, with a new law banning their use coming into effect next year.
Businesses will be supported in their transition to other products before the phase-outs come into effect. Exemptions will apply to people who rely on particular single-use plastics for disability or health needs.
The NSW Government has established a legislative framework to tackle harmful and problematic plastics through the setting of design standards.
The first design standard has been set for microbeads in cosmetic and personal care items, ensuring microbeads are phased out from 1 November 2022.
The legislation will prohibit the supply of lightweight plastic bags from 1 June 2022. The supply of other items will be prohibited from 1 November 2022, including single-use plastic straws, cutlery, stirrers, cotton buds, plates and bowls, and expanded polystyrene food service items.
“This legislation is expected to stop 2.7 billion single-use items from ending up in our natural environment and waterways over the next 20 years and is a game-changer in the fight against plastic waste across our state,” Mr Kean said.
More than one million plant specimens kept for research by leading scientists will be housed at a recently opened herbarium facility at the Australian Botanic Garden in Mount Annan.
Residents facing the difficult task of cleaning up after extraordinary flooding across the state will be able to take flood-generated waste to the tip for free.
