Time to tackle plastic waste with ban on single-use plastics

Council would like to advise residents and businesses in our region that all Queensland businesses and not-for-profit organisations will be required to stop supplying single-use plastic items

All Queensland businesses and not-for-profit organisations will be required to stop supplying single-use plastic items as part of the Queensland Government’s plan to tackle plastic pollution. This will include supermarkets, cafes, hotels and takeaway food shops.

Single-use plastic items included in the ban:

• Straws: regular straws, flexible straws, straws with a scoop, cocktail straws, and bubble tea straws
• Stirrers: hot and cold drinks stirrers, swizzle sticks and hot or cold food stirrers
• Plates and bowls including single-use expanded polystyrene plates
• Cutlery: Knives, forks, spoons, teaspoons, sample tasting spoons, soup spoons, chopsticks, splayds, and sporks
• Expanded polystyrene takeaway food containers and cups.

There are plenty of things you can do to reduce your use of single-use plastics, including:

• Purchasing reusable products over disposable ones
• Choosing products with less plastic packaging
• Choosing products made from recycled materials
• Avoid unnecessary plastic like balloons (including plastic clips and sticks) and ribbons
• Use compostable plastics that conform AS 4736-2006, for products that will break down in home composting

To learn more and find out about business exemptions please visit, www.qld.gov.au/plasticsban