As part of a state-wide move to reduce waste and help the environment, a range of single use plastics will be banned in Queensland from September including straws, stirrers, cutlery, bowls, plates and containers.
To help residents and community groups navigate through the changes, Boomerang Alliance will be visiting the Bundaberg Region to facilitate an information forum through the Plastic Free Places program.
National program manager Kellie Lindsay said it was important for people to have an understanding of the ban and how it would benefit both industry and the environment.
“It’s important for people to remember why there is a ban coming as it is not to inconvenience people, it’s because plastic is a huge problem to both our environment and our collective health,” Ms Lindsay said.
“Half of all plastic produced in the world is designed to only be used once and then thrown away and so this explosion of single-use plastic has outpaced our ability to deal with the waste we have created.
“Both local and international communities have decided that, in order to stem the tide of single-use plastics, bans on certain products are needed.”
Kellie said community groups should start preparing for the ban ahead of time to ensure they had ordered the stock they required for when the ban is in place.
“Community groups will need to take stock of their current activities and make a plan for how they will avoid using any of the banned items, as well as consider ways to use up any existing stock of banned items,” she said.
“For some groups this will be a big undertaking, for others it will be a small change although either way, the forums are the best place to start.”
Kellie said the September plastic ban would not be the first, with the phasing out of plastic items to be implemented in stages.
“Under consideration for later bans are plastic coffee cups and lids, other cups and containers and thicker plastic bags,” she said.
The Bundaberg forum will be held from 5.30pm to 6.30pm on Wednesday, 4 August at Bundaberg and District Neighbourhood Centre, 111 Targo Street.
Register for the event here.
Considering how many businesses have been and still are struggling financially with the Covid restrictions over the last 12-18 months and the fact that their stock of the so called “single use” plastic has not be used during that time, they surely don’t need another loss (disposing of the plastic) and another cost added (biodegradable etc does cost more). As Covid restrictions can be changed as needed surely consideration could be given to postponing this for another 12 months. We already have businesses closing their doors forever, this might just be the death knell for many more