More single-use plastics to be phased out over five years

Plastic microbeads, polystyrene packing peanuts and plastic-stemmed cotton buds are set to be phased out of Queensland by September 2023 with the State Government moving to ban more single-use plastic items.

The Government has unveiled its proposed five-year roadmap, which will also include a mass ban of on the release of balloons, takeaway coffee cups and lids, takeaway containers, sauce sachets, plastic drinking cups, plastics around magazines, polystyrene trays (for fruit and meat), bread bag tags, bait bags, plastic dome lids and single use produce bags.

Environment Minister Meaghan Scanlon said “single-use plastics are problematic, and Queenslanders have made it clear they want to give more of them the punt”.

“They don’t breakdown, they fill up our dumps and they kill wildlife,” she said.

“Our roadmap will phase out other problematic single-use plastics over the next five years, including the aim to phase out disposable coffee cups and lids following work with other states and territories.

“Of course, we will continue to work with retailers, community groups and suppliers so they have the alternative products in place.

“That’ll begin with getting to work straight away on replacements for coffee cups through an Innovation Challenge – with further details to be announced soon – to get Queensland businesses working on the alternatives we need.

“We understand these changes can have an impact on businesses and we will work with them to ensure they are ready.”

View the proposed five-year roadmap here.

Following on from previous bans 

The roadmap follows the State Government phasing out single-use lightweight shopping bags in 2018, and single-use plastics food products like straws, stirrers, cutlery, plates, unenclosed bowls, and expanded polystyrene (EPS) takeaway containers and EPS cups last year.