We have all benefited from the convenience of single-use plastics. The material is found in everything from food and drink packaging and takeaway containers to cleaning and personal hygiene products and medical supplies. Plastics are versatile, durable, lightweight, and cost-effective. What is the problem with single-use plastic? They’re ruining the environment.

Single-use plastic is used once and thrown away. Non-biodegradable in nature, this material builds up in the environment and remains there for thousands of years. The accumulation of single-use plastic pollution is killing wildlife and ruining ecosystems. According to the Government, approximately 130,000 tonnes of plastic leak into Australia's marine environment annually. By 2050, plastic pollution in the oceans will be estimated to outweigh fish!

Moving away from single-use plastic is in the world’s best interest, but it wasn’t until the 1990s and 2000s that the extent of the “plastic problem” became widely recognised. The urgency of climate change in recent years shifted sustainability from a trend or marketing ploy to a mandate. Governments are now taking action, and businesses are being forced to comply.

Australia has been proactive in addressing the environmental challenges posed by single-use plastics. Various states and territories have implemented bans or restrictions on certain types of single-use plastics, such as lightweight plastic bags, straws, cutlery, and takeaway containers. These initiatives are part of a broader global movement to reduce plastic waste and mitigate environmental harm.

In 2018, Australia established the 2025 National Packaging Targets to create a “sustainable pathway for managing packaging in Australia.” The four targets to be achieved by 2025 are:

• 100% of packaging being reusable, recyclable or compostable
• 70% of plastic packaging is recycled or composited
• 50% average recycled content included in the packaging
• The phase-out of problematic and unnecessary single-use plastic packaging.

In response to the packaging targets, Australian local governments have banned or are in the process of banning certain single-use plastics. The aim is to decrease waste, encourage recycling, and promote sustainable alternatives to single-use plastic.

Australia’s single-use plastic bans

Each state’s approach to the National Packaging Targets varies slightly in terms of items banned and the timelines for implementation depending on local needs and environmental priorities. We recommend going directly to your local Government website if you want more information.

Western Australia’s plastics ban

Western Australia implemented a staged approach to phasing out single-use plastics through the WA Plan for Plastics from 2022 to 2025.

Banned items:

Plastic shopping bags, disposable plastic utensils (straws, stirrers, cutlery), expanded polystyrene (EPS) food containers, disposable food containers without lids (plates, bowls and containers), cups with no lids, degradable plastics, disposable cotton buds, EPS packaging (loose fill), non-compostable coffee cups, plastic cup lids, disposable trays for takeaway or eat‑in food, and microbeads in rinse‑off personal care, cosmetic and cleaning products.

Soon-to-be banned

• September 2024: Disposable plastic produce bags are used for fresh, unpackaged fruit and vegetables, and disposable plastic lids for bowls, trays, and containers for takeaway or eat‑in food.
• July 2025: Expanded plastic packaging (moulded or cut).

For more information, visit Plastics Ban WA

Victoria’s plastics ban

Victoria implemented a comprehensive ban on single-use plastics on February 1, 2023.

Banned

Plastic shopping bags, including partly or made of compostable plastic and biodegradable plastic. Drinking straws, cutlery, plates, stirrers, cotton buds, EPS food service items, and drink containers.

Soon-to-be banned

• November 2024: Paper or cardboard plates lined with plastic.
• January 2026: Pre-packaged into a food or beverage product by a mechanical process, such as straws attached to juice boxes or plates included in frozen meals.

For more information, see Victoria’s single-use plastics ban.

South Australia's Plastics Ban

South Australia established a three-year phased approach to move away from single-use plastics.

Banned:

Single-use plastic cups, bowls, plates, drinking straws, cutlery, and stirrers, EPS cups, bowls, plates, clamshell containers, and plastic-stemmed cotton buds.

Soon-to-be banned

• September 2024: Plastic shopping bags, beverage containers, including coffee cups, food containers, other EPS trays for food and beverage containers, trays used for meat, fruit, and other food items, plastic confetti, balloon sticks and ties, and plastic bread ties.
• September 2025: Plastic fruit stickers, plastic soy sauce fish, and pre-packaged and attached products.

For more information, see Replace the Waste.

New South Wales' Plastics Ban

Single-use plastics started to be phased out across NSW in 2022.

Banned:

Plastic shopping bags, single-use plastic straws, stirrers, cutlery, single-use plastic plates, bowls without lids, EPS food ware and cups, and plastic microbeads in rinse-off personal care products are also banned.

For more information, see NSW single-use plastics ban.

Queensland's Plastics Ban

Queensland's first single-use plastic ban started in 2018 with the ban on plastic shopping bags. Since then, they have continued to ban more single-use plastics.

Banned:

Plastic shopping bags, EPS takeaway food containers, cotton buds with plastic stems, plastic microbeads, plastic straws & stirrers, single-use plastic cutlery, plastic bowls & plates, EPS food containers & cups.

For more information on plastic bans, see QLD plastic ban.

Tasmania's Plastics Ban

The Tasmanian Government has committed to phasing out the sale and supply of select single-use plastics and materials in 2025.

Banned:

Plastic bags, plastic cutlery, sauce sachets (e.g., tomato, soy, tartare), plastic takeaway food containers and lids, takeaway plastic straws, plastic-lined noodle boxes, plastic-lined coffee cups, plastic lids on takeaway cups, and plastic sandwich wedges.

For more information, see Phasing out Problematic Single-use Plastics.

Northern Territory

The Northern Territory plans to phase out most single-use plastics by July 2025. Darwin City Council has completely banned single-use food service plastic items since 2019.

Please see the Darwin City Council’s Circular Economy Strategy for more information.

Impact on the commercial cleaning industry

The commercial cleaning industry relies heavily on disposable products for waste disposal, sanitation, and surface cleaning. With the implementation of single-use plastic bans, commercial cleaning companies have had to reassess their practices and seek alternative solutions. For instance, disposable plastic garbage bags have been phased out in many regions, and reusable or compostable alternatives have been adopted. This shift has required adjustments in procurement and operational procedures within cleaning businesses.

How to reduce plastic waste in commercial cleaning

The commercial cleaning industry plays a pivotal role in managing single-use plastics. By choosing eco-friendlier products with recycled materials and managing waste responsibly, cleaning companies can enhance their environmental stewardship and comply with increasing regulatory demands.

Know your plastic

Cleaning products are usually made from polyethylene terephthalate (PET) or high-density polyethylene (HDPE) plastic. Both of these materials are recyclable but still contribute to environmental issues. A better alternative to plastic products is post-consumer recycled (PCR) packaging, which uses materials previously discarded by consumers. This method decreases virgin material use, cuts greenhouse gas emissions, and reduces landfill waste.

Refillable packaging systems

Refillable systems like the Rubix Chemical Dispenser are a simple and effective environmentally responsible approach. Choosing refillable containers and filling them on-site reduces waste and emissions from producing and transporting new containers.

Buy in bulk

Buying in bulk reduces packaging waste and costs by allowing businesses to negotiate lower prices for larger quantities. This approach also decreases delivery frequency, reducing transportation emissions. Additionally, some eco-friendlier products are only available in bulk, supporting sustainability goals.

Concentrated products

Concentrated cleaning products require less packaging per cleaning job, reducing the waste generated and the resources used in packaging production. They’re also more efficient, reducing the frequency and costs of shipping and lowering the overall carbon footprint.

Stay informed

Legislation on single-use plastics will likely become stricter, with broader implications for all sectors. Businesses should stay ahead of the curve by monitoring legislative developments, investing in sustainable products and practices and engaging stakeholders in sustainability goals.

How Enviroplus is approaching the plastic problem

Enviroplus is committed to greener cleaning with high-performing cleaning products that will have a minimal environmental impact on the Earth. We contribute to environmental conservation and waste reduction with the following initiatives:

Post-Consumer Recycled (PCR) Enviroplus 1 Litre Bottles

Our 1-litre bottles are made from 50% PCR material. This change, implemented across the entire product range in late 2023, is expected to lead to the avoidance of over 370 kilograms of virgin plastic per year.

Envirobins

Enviroplus offers a range of envirobins constructed from fully recycled materials to support your recycling practices and promote a circular economy within the commercial cleaning sector.

Compostable bin liners

Our certified compostable bin liners are an eco-friendlier alternative to traditional plastic liners and meet stringent commercial compostable certifications. By integrating reusable alternatives to produce bags with these compostable options, we help facilities reduce their environmental impact while maintaining operational efficiency.

As a business committed to environmental responsibility, we support the ban on single-use plastic. But we know the bans are not without challenges. Compliance requires research, operational changes, procurement and waste management adjustments, and an upfront investment in sustainable alternatives.

We’re improving the cleaning industry by helping our clients reduce their environmental impact and ESG strategies.

Ready to make positive change?