South Australia bans single use plastic straws and cutlery
Everyone knows that single-use plastic is bad. Whether we’re talking about food wrap, straws, plastic cutlery or disposable food containers – it all ends up in landfill eventually. However, one Australian state has made a bold move to become the first state to ban single-use plastics.
On Friday July 5, 2019, Premier of South Australia Steven Marshall tweeted that “The Marshall Liberal Government will ban a range of single-use plastics in South Australia under proposed legislation to be introduced into State Parliament.”
Under the legislation – which is to be drafted this year and put before parliament in 2020 - South Australia would become the first state to ban single-use plastics, with a prohibition on straws, cutlery and other items from 2020.
In an interview with ABC, Marshall told the publication that "At first, we will look at products including plastic straws, cutlery and stirrers, with items such as takeaway polystyrene containers and cups next,"
The announcement comes just months after the City of Hobart in Tasmania announced a city-wide ban on all single-use plastics by 2020, in March this year – making it the first capital city to do so.
It’s a timely announcement by The South Australian MP, as this month is Plastic-Free July, an imitative that aims to encourage people to use less plastic and make the swap to greener options.
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