Single-use plastic items ban
Queensland's ban on the supply of single-use plastic items started on 1 September 2021.
The single-use plastic items ban is part of Queensland's plan to tackle plastic pollution and follows strong support from the community, retailers and industry organisations.
Banned items
Banned single-use items are:
- single-use plastic straws
- plastic stirrers and swizzle sticks
- plastic plates
- unenclosed plastic bowls
- plastic forks, spoons, knives, splayds, chopsticks, and food picks
- expanded polystyrene (EPS) takeaway food containers
- expanded polystyrene (EPS) cups.
Expanding the ban
Community, industry and business consultation has shown strong support to expand the ban of single-use plastics. As a result, the following single-use plastic items will be banned from 1 September 2023:
- cotton buds with plastic stems
- expanded polystyrene loose packaging
- plastic microbeads in rinseable personal care and cleaning products
- heavyweight plastic shopping bags
- mass release of lighter than air balloons.
A proposed 5–year roadmap has been prepared to show how the Queensland Government plans to continue to work with suppliers, manufacturers and businesses on the inclusion of additional single-use plastic items in the ban, including single-use takeaway coffee cups and lids.
This will provide industry and businesses with an opportunity to provide feedback regarding supply chain challenges, sourcing suitable alternatives and timeframes, and prepare for future actions.
Visit the single-use plastic items ban website for details on consultation opportunities for extending the ban.
Preparing your business
If you own or operate a business that uses banned items (e.g. restaurants, cafes, takeaway food shops, party suppliers, supermarkets), you will not be able to provide these to your customers after the ban commences.
To find out what your options are, follow the 3 steps to prepare your business on the Queensland single-use plastic items ban website.
If you are a supplier, distributor or wholesaler of banned items, you may continue to supply to a business if you have a reasonable belief they are an exempt business.
Read more about how the ban is being enforced.
Exempt businesses
The following exempt businesses can continue to use banned items:
- clinics or facilities that provide care to persons with disability or healthcare needs
- hospitals
- dental clinics
- medical clinics
- pharmacies
- aged care facilities
- medical suppliers.
What your business can do now
As a business owner/operator, firstly identify if you still need to provide banned items to your customers, and if so, find out what items you can replace them with. If you have excess stock, you may also wish to contact your supplier to find out about their returns policy.
The Queensland Government, in partnership with the National Retail Association (NRA), is working with retailers and suppliers to ensure they understand and comply with the single-use plastic items ban, including options to manage excess stock.
Visit the Queensland single-use plastic items ban website for more information or phone the hotline on 1800 844 946.
For more information about the ban, contact the following Single-use Plastic Items Ban Stakeholder Advisory Group (SAG) organisations:
- Australian Food and Grocery Council
- Boomerang Alliance
- Business Chamber Queensland
- Local Government Association of Queensland
- Master Grocers Association
- Queensland Hotels Association
- Queensland Tourism Industry Council
- Restaurant and Catering Industry Association
- World Wildlife Fund.
Single-use plastics ban video
Watch this video to learn more about the ban.
Also consider…
- Read the Get ready for the single-use plastic items ban factsheet (PDF, 1.7MB).
- Learn about the plastic bag ban in Queensland.
- Last reviewed: 5 Jul 2022
- Last updated: 23 Mar 2023
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