The State Government has unveiled an ambitious five-year plan to ban even more single-use plastics.
From September next year, plastic microbeads, polystyrene packing peanuts and plastic-stemmed cotton buds will be prohibited in the sunshine state.
The mass release of lighter-than-air balloons will also be banned next year, while new minimum standards will be introduced for heavy plastic bags requiring them to be tested for reusability and the ability to be recycled once they’ve reached the end of their lifespan.
Other items, including takeaway containers, disposable coffee cups and sauce sachets also face the axe in the future.
“Single-use plastics are problematic, and Queenslanders have made it clear they want to give more of them the punt,” Environment Minister Meaghan Scanlon said.
“They don’t breakdown, they fill up our dumps and they kill wildlife.
“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.”
Ms Scanlon said the Government will continue to work with businesses to ensure they are well prepared before any bans come into place.
“Of course, we will continue to work with retailers, community groups and suppliers so they have the alternative products in place,” she said.
“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.”
It comes after the Queensland Government phased out single-use lightweight shopping bags in 2018 and last year banned a number of single-use plastics food products like straws, stirrers, cutlery, plates, unenclosed bowls, and expanded polystyrene takeaway containers and EPS cups.
