Page56 - Week 01 - Wednesday, 2 December 2020
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and sustained support for government to take action to reduce the consumption of single-use plastic.
In 2019 we asked Canberrans to have their say on phasing out single-use plastic in the ACT and we received over 3,300 responses. Overwhelmingly, our community wants us to act on phasing out problematic and unnecessary single-use plastic, and regulatory action is the most effective approach. This is consistent with equivalent action being taken in both domestic jurisdictions and internationally. It recognises that, while voluntary approaches are an important part of taking action on single-use plastic products, without regulatory action consumption of these products will remain at current levels and these products will remain present in the litter stream.
The bill is a result of extensive engagement and collaboration. The government has been consulting with the Plastic Reduction Taskforce, representing the needs and views of key local and national industry, business, environment and disability advocacy bodies. The task force has been integral to the development of the bill, and I thank them for their participation and support.
The ACT is leading a strong network of single-use plastic practitioners across all Australian jurisdictions, as well as New Zealand, who are also undertaking policy and/or regulatory action on single-use plastic.
The first tranche of single-use plastic products will be phased out from the commencement of the bill on 1 July 2021. From this date, supplying or providing the first tranche of prohibited plastic products, outlined in the government’s plastics policy, will be prohibited. The bill expressly bans single-use plastic stirrers, cutlery and expanded polystyrene foam takeaway food and beverage containers, such as cups, plates, bowls and clamshell containers, as of 1 July 2021.
A regulatory impact statement has been prepared in relation to the bill and detailed analysis has been undertaken on the impact of phasing out the three products included in the first tranche. This is the first quantitative analysis of the phase-out of single-use plastic products in Australia. The high-level findings outlined in the social cost-benefit analysis indicate that a net benefit to the ACT can be achieved through the use of cost-effective plastic alternatives, combined with increased levels of consumer avoidance.
Drink stirrers will be prohibited because they are difficult to recycle and often end up in landfill. This is a product that has a clear, low-cost alternative, with bamboo and wooden single-use stirrers. Of course, this is a product where there are re-usable alternatives to the more sustainable single-use option, such as using a spoon. The regulatory ban on drink stirrers is simple to introduce and enforce in the ACT and has a high level of community and business support for action.
Plastic cutlery has also been identified as a difficult to recycle product in Australia and, as a consequence, ends up in landfill. There are readily available sustainable single-use alternatives made from bamboo and wood. Education during the transition phase will focus on these alternatives, as well as the clear re-usable options, such as taking metal cutlery to a picnic and washing it afterwards.
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