Banned single-use plastic items
A range of single-use plastic items are banned from supply in Queensland.
These are:
- straws and stirrers
- plates, unenclosed bowls, and cutlery
- expanded polystyrene (EPS) takeaway food containers and EPS cups
- cotton buds with plastic stems
- EPS loose packaging
- plastic microbeads in rinseable personal care and cleaning products.
The outdoor release of lighter-than-air (for example, helium) balloons is also banned. You can still sell, buy, supply or use these balloons but must ensure they don’t escape into the environment.
Shopping bags made from plastic film need to meet these material and reusability requirements:
- 35 micrometres or more in thickness
- be made from a minimum of 80% recycled content verified by a recognised program or certification
- be durable and big enough to carry 10 kilograms of weight for at least 125 uses verified by a recognised reusability, durability or endurance test.
Review of the ban
A review of banned single use plastic items as required by the Waste Reduction and Recycling Act 2011 was completed. This review found that banning these items:
- has been effective resulting in harmful plastics being removed from circulation
- has been effective in reducing the number of single-use lightweight shopping bags supplied, used and littered in Queensland
- has been successful in the education of people on the harmful effects of single use plastics on the natural environment
- Provided a shared focus around Australia to address single use plastic items. and many jurisdictions have bans in place. Bans around the country are not all the same, causing challenges for several sectors to understand and meet their requirements.
The review also identified that many jurisdictions having slightly different bans in place created challenges for several sectors to understand and meet their requirements.
With the focus on boosting recycling, further single-use plastic item bans are not planned at this time.
Read more about the review in the report 2.2 MB).
Read more about the Queensland Government action on plastic pollution.
Who to contact
For further information on the ban – visit the Queensland Plastics Ban website for more information or call the Australian Retail Council Hotline on 1800 844 946.
