It comes amid growing awareness about the risks posed by microplastics to human health and the environment. \u00a0<\/p>\n
The next phase has targeted “unnecessary and hard-to-recycle plastic products”, with a range of household items included on the ban list to be rolled out in stages from next year until 2030.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Penny Sharpe says the plan moves the state closer to getting rid of the “problematic items”. (ABC News: Nick Dole)<\/p>\n
Minister for the Environment Penny Sharpe said the plan struck a balance between protecting humans and the environment.<\/p>\n
“Microplastics are entering our bodies and plastic is polluting our environment and oceans, killing our wildlife,” she said in a statement.<\/p>\n
“This plan moves NSW another step closer to phasing out these problematic items.”<\/p>\n
At a press conference on Sunday, Ms Sharpe highlighted the magnitude of the state’s waste problem.<\/p>\n
“We’re running out of landfall across New South Wales and we’re running out of it in Greater Sydney,” she said.<\/p>\n
She added that last year, NSW generated more than 935,000 tonnes of plastic and less than 16 per cent of that was recycled.\u00a0<\/p>\n
“A huge amount of it is ending up in our waterways, in our parks, making a mess everywhere,” she said.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
NSW generated more than 935,000 tonnes of plastic last year, according to the government. (Supplied: NSW government)<\/p>\n
Long list of items banned<\/p>\n
From next year, NSW will join other states in banning the release of lighter-than-air helium balloons, and government premises will start trialling using reusable cups.<\/p>\n
It is envisioned that by 2028, reusable cups will be accepted by takeaway shops, with larger food outlets required to join the scheme by 2030.<\/p>\n
The phasing out of plastic bread tags and pizza savers \u2014 the tripod-like devices that stop the topping from sticking to box lids \u2014 will start from late 2027.<\/p>\n
Also coming into effect that year will be a ban on items such as plastic bags with handles, regardless of the thickness, plastic umbrella bags and the phasing out of non-compostable plastic fruit and vegetable stickers.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
NSW will join South Australia in phasing out soy sauce fish bottles. (Supplied: NSW government)<\/p>\n
In line with South Australia, soy sauce fish bottles are also on the way out, along with all small condiment containers. So too are non-compostable plastic fruit and vegetable stickers.<\/p>\n
Takeaway food containers, including bento boxes and sushi trays will need to be redesigned under the plan, to ensure they can be recycled safely.<\/p>\n
In an attempt to prevent the use of harmful chemicals in the manufacturing of plastic products, a “green” and a “red” list will be developed.\u00a0<\/p>\n
The system, described as an “Australian first” by the government, will identify which chemicals can and cannot be used, and which of those have a safer alternative.<\/p>\n
Member for Strathfield Jason Yat-Sen Li represents an area in Sydney’s inner west bustling with eateries, where “food is at the heart of our communities”.<\/p>\n
“Our takeaway and hospitality businesses are the backbone of our economy in Strathfield and Burwood,” he said.<\/p>\n
“They want to do the right thing, and now they’ve got a clear, practical path to reduce plastic waste.<\/p>\n
“This is a real opportunity for businesses to lead. From sushi and dumpling bars to bakeries and noodle shops, Strathfield’s food scene can be at the forefront of the next wave of sustainability.”<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Businesses in New South Wales will soon no longer be able to use plastic bread tags and pizza…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":273593,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[4],"tags":[64,63,158895,10162,158891,44,158892,16862,158893,25271,158890,158894,158889],"class_list":["post-273592","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-australia","tag-au","tag-australia","tag-jason-yat-sen-li","tag-microplastics","tag-national-recycling-week","tag-news","tag-nsw-environmengt-minsiter","tag-nsw-government","tag-nsw-plastic-plan","tag-penny-sharpe","tag-plastics-phase-out","tag-reusable-cups","tag-single-use-plastic"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/273592","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=273592"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/273592\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/273593"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=273592"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=273592"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=273592"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}