On September 9 2020, the South Australian Parliament passed the Single-use and Other Plastic Products (Waste Avoidance) Act 2020. This legislation prohibits the sale, supply and distribution of certain single-use plastic products and establishes a framework for adding other products in the future. Please be aware the legislation starts on March 1, 2021. It will be brought into effect on a date to be determined by the government, in 2021. The legislation implements the government’s July 2019 announcement to address the impacts of single-use plastic products. You can read the legislation here.
Exemptions
The Act contains a provision to implement an exemption that will allow for the sale, supply and distribution of single-use plastic straws to those in the community who rely on them due to disability or medical need. The government is working with the Single-Use Plastic Stakeholder Taskforce to develop these regulations and explanatory information. They will be made available for consultation on this site.
- For some members of our community, there are no suitable alternatives to single-use plastic straws.
- The exemption will allow the sale, supply and distribution of single-use plastic drinking straws to members of the community who require them due to disability or medical need.
- No proof will be required to enable this transaction.
- The exemption is being implemented to ensure that plastic straws remain accessible to people who require them to consume food and beverages safely.
- Green Industries SA will be communicating with businesses, distributors and the community to explain that it will not be an offence to supply single-use plastic straws for the purposes of the exemption, and to encourage businesses to be inclusive of all members of the community.
- Food service businesses ideally should have single-use plastic drinking straws stored behind the counter to provide on request.