Plastic straws, bottle caps and takeaway coffee cup lids regularly litter my beach in bayside Melbourne. Finally, one of those will be banned throughout Victoria from tomorrow. Progress.
Single-use plastic straws, plates, cutlery, cotton tips and drink stirrers will all be banned for sale and supply.
Government data shows that single-use plastic products make up a third of the litter in the environment.
Expanded polystyrene food containers and cups – years away, sigh – the ban will expand to any of these items that come pre-packaged in a food or drink product, such as plastic straws stuck to a juice box.
The ban applies to products made of compostable plastic as well. That’s because compostable plastics break down into microplastics that pollute the environment and the food chain.
Single-use plastic drinking straws will still be available for anyone who needs them due to disability or medical reasons. Businesses are allowed to stock the straws for those reasons, but they don’t have to.
What’s the biggest cause of litter in your recreation spaces? Do you still find cigarette butts at the beach even though you’re not meant to smoke there?
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