Single-use plastics including shopping bags and cutlery will be banned from stores across NSW in as little as six months.
Environment minister Matt Kean vowed to ban a range of ‘problematic plastics’ when he took the NSW Plastics Action Plan to cabinet on Monday.
Plastic food utensils, cosmetic products and tableware are among the items that have been included on the hit list.
Some items are expected to be phased out sooner than others when legislation is passed by the end of the year.
Environment minister Matt Kean vowed to ban a range of problematic plastics when he took the NSW Plastics Action Plan to Cabinet on Monday
Single-use plastics including shopping bags and cutlery will soon be phased out from stores across New South Wales in as little as six months (stock image)
Lightweight plastic shopping bags could be banned within six months of the law being passed while plastic straws and cutlery will be phased out within 12 months.
‘This is about NSW leading the way when it comes to reducing plastic litter in our environment… ensuring we hand our environment to the next generation better than we found it,’ Mr Kean said.
Microbeads in hygiene and cosmetic products, styrofoam tableware, and cotton buds with plastic stems will also be banned within the next year.
‘The single-use items we are phasing-out will stop an estimated 2.7 billion items of plastic litter from ending up in our environment and waterways over the next 20 years,’ Mr Kean said.
‘We can’t keep sending our scraps to languish in landfill when there are huge opportunities to turn our trash into treasure.’
The state government also plans to review numerous other ‘problematic plastic’ items within the next three years.
They include heavyweight plastic shopping bags, plastic plates and cups and lids, and fruit stickers.
The state government promised to ban all single-use plastics by 2025 and reach several waste reduction targets by 2030.
It hopes to reduce personal waste by 10 per cent and overall waste by 60 per cent.
‘We must reduce the plastics ending up in our environment because we are on track to see more plastic in the ocean than fish by 2050,’ Mr Kean said.
The environment minister also put forward plans to provide green bins to every Australian household for their food and garden waste.
Lightweight plastic shopping bags could be banned within six months of the law being passed while plastic straws and cutlery will be phased out within 12 months
Many local government areas still only use two bins: yellow bins for recycling, and red bins for garbage.
Mr Kean hopes that by providing another bin just for perishables it will halve the amount of garbage going to red bins and ending up in landfill.
Supermarkets and hospitality venues will also be forced to throw their food waste into a separate bin to their garbage.
The changes are expected to be announced at the upcoming NSW budget.
‘This is the biggest shake up of how we deal with waste in a generation,’ Mr Kean said.
‘It’s about turning our waste into a resource, driving down costs for families, and delivering a better environment for everyone.’
State premier Gladys Berejiklian revealed it would cost more than $356 million to achieve the massive overhaul.
Australia generates around 2.5million tonnes of plastic waste every year with 84 per cent ending up in landfill
‘We want NSW to be a leader when it comes to reducing waste, maximising recycling and protecting our environment, but we want to do it in a way that drives job creation and innovation,’ she said.
‘The community has high expectations and we need to make sure we put in place the best plans for the future while also giving businesses and councils enough time to adjust to the phase-outs and find sustainable alternatives.’
Australian Marine Conservation Society plastics campaign manager Shane Cucow said NSW was the largest consumer of plastics in the country.
‘We would congratulate the NSW government for listening to ocean lovers across the state who have been demanding action to save threatened seabirds, whales and turtles,’ she said.
Australia generates around 2.5million tonnes of plastic waste every year with 84 per cent ending up in landfill.
Around 130,000 tonnes also spills into the environment, killing wildlife and destroying their habitats.
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