Two years after the Victorian state government first announced plans to ditch the sale and supply of single-use plastics, the full ban has finally come into effect.
As of February 1, Victorians will no longer be able to purchase drinking straws, cutlery, plates, drink stirrers, cotton bud sticks and expanded polystyrene food and drink containers. The ban extends to cafés, restaurants and bars, with Victorian establishments also barred from being able to provide any single-use plastics.
There is one exception, however: people who need single-use plastic straws due to disability or medical needs will still be able to purchase these items.
According to state environment minister Ingrid Stott, the ban will go a long way in creating a healthier environment for Victoria.
“Plastic pollution has significant impacts on our health, wildlife, and the environment,” she said. “This single-use plastics ban is a crucial step to protect Victoria’s rivers, waterways and oceans from plastic pollution.”
Premier Daniel Andrews also tweeted “single-use plastics make up a third of pollution found in the environment in our state. They are used for a few minutes but can stay in waterways and parks for decades”.
This follows on from plastic shopping bags being banned in 2019 – a move that saw retailers across the state prohibited from providing bags to customers, whether new or reused.