Victoria’s single-use plastics ban commences February 1, 2023

Single-use plastic drinking straws, cutlery, plates, drink-stirrers, expanded polystyrene food and drink containers, and cotton bud sticks will be banned from sale or supply in Victoria from February 1, 2023.

The ban will apply to items made from conventional plastic, and those made from degradable, biodegradable and compostable plastic. This recognises that all forms of plastic can be bad for the environment when littered. Many compostable plastic items also require processing at a specialised compost facility in order to break down.

Single-use plastics:

• make up a third of the litter we see on our streets and in our waterways – they are difficult and costly to clean up
• are often used for only a few minutes but remain in the environment for a long time
• pollute the environment – harming wildlife and contaminating our food and water.

By banning problematic single-use plastics, we will reduce plastic pollution.

Get ready for the ban now

We are encouraging everyone to get ready for the single-use plastic ban, ahead of the commencement on February 1, 2023.

You can avoid single-use plastic items and choose reusable alternatives instead. Where this isn’t possible, choose single-use items made from materials* such as paper, wood or bamboo.

Businesses can prepare for the ban now by:

• considering alternative reusable items or single-use items made from materials* such as bamboo, wood or paper
• running down stocks of banned items, and not ordering more
• avoiding the items that are to be banned.

* Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) certified where applicable

Find out more here.