NSW plastic bag ban coming next month
May 17, 2022
New South Wales will from next month join the rest of Australia in banning single use plastic bags – with more bans to come later in the year.
The state will ban single use “lightweight” bags from June 1, after passing the Plastic Reduction and Circular Economy Act 2021.
It’s estimated that single use plastics and plastic packaging comprise about 60 per cent of the state’s total litter.
The government has estimated these bans will prevent 2.7 billion plastic items from adding to the state’s waste pile.
There will be exceptions – people with disabilities or medical needs will be provided with plastic straws, for example.
South Australia got the ball rolling in 2009, when it banned single-use plastic bags – with an exception for biodegradable ones.
The state carried out further bans on single-use plastics, such as straws, in 2021.
The Australian Capital Territory banned single use plastic bags in 2011, followed by Tasmania in 2013, Queensland in 2018, and Western Australia, the Northern Territory and Victoria in 2019.
9news
