The state government has proposed to include a number of items considered problematic in the ban from supply or sale across Victoria ranging from drinking straws, plates and cutlery to cotton bud sticks and polystyrene drink and food service containers.
Items banned represent those containing conventional plastic as well as those comprising compostable, biodegradable and degradable plastic. The move will assist the government to help lower the impact the use of single-use plastics has on health, wildlife and the environment.
According to a Whitehorse City spokesperson, single-use plastics have often ended up inadvertently placed in bins meant for recycling products. He added:
"This can cause a high level of contamination of recycling materials and put avoidable stress on the cost of waste processing and the environment."
The issue of single-use plastics has been the focus of many brochure printing campaigns aimed at spreading awareness.
The spokesman said many of the items included on the state's ban list can be easily substituted for reusable products, which is an option - subject to appropriate cleaning of reusable items - that is supported by health advice received by the government. If reusable items are not an option, the spokesperson advised alternatives made of bamboo, wood or paper be investigated. The ban will begin on 1 February 2023.