
“Our single-use plastic ban will have significant economic benefits and create local jobs, as well as being good for the environment.”
South Australia’s ban on single-use plastic items officially came into effect on Monday, 1st March.
The single-use and Other Plastic Products (Waste Avoidance) Act 2020 is the first legislation of its kind in Australia.
According to the new law, the sale, supply, and distribution of single-use plastic items including straws, cutlery, and stirrers will be banned in South Australia and businesses found flouting the rules will be penalized.
The move has been described as “a positive step towards avoiding waste and reducing the harm caused to our wildlife, including marine life, through litter and pollution.”
‘Leading the nation’
Environment Minister David Speirs said more items such as polystyrene cups, bowls, and plates will be added to the banned list early next year while other states have announced similar plans to phase out some of the items from July.
“South Australia is yet again leading the nation when it comes to environmental issues with the Marshall Liberal Government’s historic ban on single-use plastics,” Spiers said.
“We are the first state in the country to take this action and…plastic drinking straws, cutlery, and stirrers will be banned from sale, supply, and distribution in South Australia.”
The LadBible quoted the politician also stating that alternative item manufacturers in South Australia have already started producing items and would be able to supply other states as the bans spread across Australia.
“Consumers have been demanding this and the market has been driving alternatives, really creating jobs in the manufacturing of alternatives,” Speirs told Australian Broadcasting Corp.
“Our single-use plastic ban will have significant economic benefits and create local jobs, as well as being good for the environment,” he further added.
The plastic ban is not entirely new in the country. Single-use plastic shopping bags have already been banned in all Australian states and mainland territories except for New South Wales.
‘Shift away from a single-use, throwaway mindset’
While the state ban exempts people with disabilities, who can continue using plastic cutlery to eat and drink, Speirs hopes the new law will help in keeping South Australia’s environment plastic and waste-free.
“We are protecting our environment for future generations, reducing marine and other litter, and promoting the circular economy with a shift away from a single-use, throwaway mindset,” he concluded.
Share this story: Australian state becomes first to ban plastic drinking straws and stirrers in the country.
Lifestyle
Vegan culture, food, beauty & more
Gordon Ramsay Ditches Vegan Hate and Backs Flora’s Plant-Based Butter in New ‘Skip the Cow’ Campaign
- Totally Vegan Buzz Team
- 28th January 2025
Celebrity chef Gordon Ramsay, once infamous for his digs at vegans, has taken a sharp turn in the kitchen. Ramsay has teamed up with Flora, the famous UK-based spread brand, as its global ambassador, marking a bold new chapter in Flora’s “Skip the Cow” campaign. Flora, established in 1964, has long been a household name …
The Top 10 Vegan-Friendly Places in Latin America
- Totally Vegan Buzz Team
- 27th January 2025
Latin America is experiencing an extraordinary rise in plant-based dining options. A new study, spearheaded by Veganuary in partnership with the food discovery platform HappyCow, reveals that Latin America now boasts over 10,000 vegan, vegetarian, and vegan-friendly restaurants—an impressive 21.6% jump compared to last year. Brazil takes the crown as the number one country, with …
Continue reading “The Top 10 Vegan-Friendly Places in Latin America”
VEGAN MEMES
NEED A LAUGH?
QUIZZES
All the quizzes you love to binge!
QUIZ: If you score 11/12 on this quiz, you’re a verified vegan food expert
- Marlon Farrugia
- 10th January 2020
How much vegan knowledge do you have stored away? Do you have to Google your way through a shopping trip, or do you have all the bad E-numbers memorised? Find out now with this quiz. [wpViralQuiz id=27203]
QUIZ: What is your perfect Vegan Halloween Costume?
- Marlon Farrugia
- 13th October 2019
Spook Season approaches. There will be ghosts, goblins, ghouls, and glucose. You need a costume, and you want to it to show off your personality, which means VEGAN. But what to choose? Take our quiz to find out your perfect outfit. [wpViralQuiz id=33494]
QUIZ: What kind of vegetable are you?
- Marlon Farrugia
- 26th September 2019
“If you were a vegetable, what kind would you be?” A question that has tormented humanity throughout the ages – until now. [wpViralQuiz id=31281] Read: QUIZ: If you score 19/20 on THIS quiz, you’re a Vegan God