South Australia’s soy sauce fish container ban has taken effect. Meanwhile, Tasmania is the last state in Australia to make meaningful reductions in the use of single-use plastics.
Every other state and territory has a single-use plastics ban, or a timeframe for one. Other jurisdictions are moving to reduce other harmful plastics and implementing effective reusables programs. South Australia implemented a single use plastics ban two years ago, and have now banned the use of soy sauce fish containers.
The Liberals, then under Environment Minister Roger Jaensch, committed to banning single-use plastics by the end of 2023. Nearly two years later, there has been no progress. There has been funding for education and incentivisation programs, but this hasn’t stopped unacceptable quantities of harmful plastics entering our environment.
Single-use plastics make up a third of the waste in our streets and waterways, doing untold harm to our wildlife. Plastic entanglement and ingestion kill birds, mammals and other marine animals. The full extent of health impacts from the use of plastics on Tasmanians is still unclear.
Across Australia, it’s been shown that single-use plastic bans change consumer behaviour. Retailers similarly respond favourably when firm timelines and transition protocols are laid out. But the Tasmanian Government has dithered and delayed, announcing bans, then kicking the can down the road.
In 2021, the City of Hobart introduced a bylaw to reduce single use plastic items in food businesses, the first Australian city to do so. This was part of their ambitious target of zero waste to landfill by 2030. Nine million plastic items have been diverted from landfill as a result.
Hobart has shown what’s possible. There’s no excuse for continued inaction. As the new Parliament approaches, the Liberals must move forward on their commitment to banning single use plastics.
