Single-use Plastic Free Queensland

To help schools transition to plastic-free fetes and reduce single-use plastics, Wildlife Queensland drafted guidelines for use by all schools. In 2017 these were distributed to all schools in the State, along with specific advice on helium balloon releases (pdf).

Whilst we have not monitored the effect of our materials, it is clear that many schools have got the message and both P&Cs and teachers are now actively taking steps to make their schools and their school fetes plastic-free.

With a new commitment to introduce a bag ban coming from the ALP Government in 2015, Wildlife Queensland ran a political lobbying and community awareness campaign to get plastic bags banned as soon as possible.

• We developed policies, adopted by national groups.
• We promoted and presented at a number of forums.
• We supported a Government discussion paper on a ban that received over 26,000 submissions, with the vast majority supporting a ban.
• We lobbied all political parties to get full support for the introduction of a ban.

In November 2016, Wildlife Queensland spoke at the announcement by the LNP Opposition to support the proposed ban and backed this up a week later when the State Government announced the introduction of a ban on lightweight plastic bags (including compostable and biodegradable bags).

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Wildlife Queensland has continuously lobbied for a legislated ban on the deliberate release of helium balloons.

• We have published reports and been a regular public voice in the media.
• In 2015, we made headlines with our complaint about balloon releases at the EKKKA.

In 2017, the State Government confirmed that the deliberate release of helium balloons was an act of littering.

We also helped draft a motion by Brisbane City Council that led to the local government association voting to support a call for a state ban on helium balloon releases. This has been backed by many local governments imposing a ban on the practice.

Wildlife Queensland backed the Boomerang Alliance campaign for container deposits, in parallel with our plastic bag campaign. We helped bankroll a public campaign in key coastal communities on the Gold Coast, Sunshine Coast, Cairns and Central Queensland that sent a very clear message to politicians about the level of public support for a scheme.

In 2017, the State Government introduced legislation to ban lightweight plastic bags and introduce a container refund scheme in Queensland in 2018. The bill was passed unanimously. 

As of April 2022, Containers for Change have recycled more than five billion containers across Queensland since the start of the scheme in November 2018.

Find out more about the Container Refund Scheme and how you can donate your refund to help our native wildlife.

Our next agenda has been focused on single-use plastic takeaway items. Items such as straws, cutlery, containers and cups. These items represent about 36 per cent of all litter in Queensland. Wildlife Queensland continues to back the Boomerang Alliance Plastic Free Places campaign to phase these out and has supported the campaign to get the State Government to act.

The plan included proposals to introduce a legislated ban on plastic straws, stirrers, cutlery and plates in 2020 and, after further investigation, coffee cups, other plastic items and heavyweight plastic bags.

The RIS was developed to evaluate banning the sale or supply of particular single-use plastic products in Queensland.

Wildlife Queensland supported a ban on single-use plastics in Queensland.

The consultation period ended on 30 April 2020 and the State Government reported that over 19,500 submissions and surveys were received. This included 600 individual submissions. Over 90 per cent of responses supported a ban on single-use plastics.

Queensland became the second state, after South Australia, to introduce legislation to ban these products. When passed it would mean these products could not be sold or provided in Queensland after July 2021. An exemption for those with disabilities having access to products they need, and for products that are certified compostable to the Australian Standard, was included.

With South Australia and the ACT, Queensland led the national policy debate to get rid of these problematic plastic takeaway items.

In a historic decision, the Queensland Parliament unanimously passed the Waste Reduction and Recycling (Plastic Items) Amendment Bill 2020 to ban certain single-use plastics from use. From 1 September 2021, plastic straws, stirrers, cutlery, plates and bowls and expanded polystyrene cups and containers were banned.

The Queensland Government intends to add other plastic items such as coffee cups/lids, other plastic takeaway items and heavyweight plastic bags after further investigation.

The Boomerang Alliance ran a series of forums across Queensland from July to October 2021 for community groups to learn how to become ban compliant.

Wildlife Queensland and the Boomerang Alliance called on all State and Territory governments to ban helium balloon releases throughout Australia and urged people to join the Boomerang Alliance’s Plan on stopping the release of lighter-than-air balloons.

Items proposed to be banned include:

• coffee cups and lids
• plastic cups and lids
• plastic balloon and cotton bud sticks
• produce bags
• polystyrene trays
• plastic newspaper wraps
• all oxo-degradable plastics
• heavyweight plastic bags.

The following single-use plastic items will be banned from 1 September 2023:

• cotton buds with plastic stems
• expanded polystyrene loose packaging
• plastic microbeads in rinseable personal care and cleaning products
• heavyweight plastic shopping bags
• mass release of lighter than air (helium) balloons.

A proposed 5–year roadmap has been prepared to show how the Queensland Government plans to continue to work with suppliers, manufacturers and businesses on the inclusion of additional single-use plastic items in the ban, including single-use takeaway coffee cups and lids.