Western Australia’s Plan for Plastics – Stage 2

Stage 1

Stage 1 of WA's Plan for Plastics bans started on January 1st, 2022, with two transition periods.

• From October 1st, 2022, it became illegal to provide open plastic cups for cold drinks.

From July 1st, 2022, it became illegal to provide:

• Plastic shopping bags with handles.

• Disposable plastic items like straws, stirrers, and cutlery.

• Expanded polystyrene (EPS) food containers and trays.

• Disposable plastic foodware without lids, including plates, bowls, and food containers.

Balloon releases into the air are also now banned.

Stage 2

Bans started on March 1st, 2023, with different enforcement dates until 2025 to allow businesses time to comply.

From September 1st, 2023, it became illegal to supply:

• Expanded plastic packaging (loose fill polystyrene).

• EPS (polystyrene) cups and EPS trays for meat and seafood.

• Degradable plastics.

• Disposable cotton buds with plastic stems.

• Microbeads in rinse-off personal care, cosmetic, and cleaning products.

From March 1st, 2024, it will be illegal to supply:

• Disposable plastic produce bags for fresh, unpackaged fruits and vegetables.

• Disposable coffee cups and all plastic cup lids.

• Disposable plastic trays for takeaway or eat-in food.

From September 1st, 2024, it will be illegal to supply:

• Disposable plastic lids for bowls, trays, and containers used for takeaway or eat-in food.

Exclusions include:

• Reusable produce bags made from plastic fabrics like polyester or nylon.

• Barrier bags needed for food hygiene and to prevent leaks from products like raw meat and fish.

• Barrier bags provided in delis that sell dairy items such as cheese, sliced meats, ham, and salami.

• Produce bags provided by bakeries or for the sale of loose baked goods.

• Pre-packaged produce (e.g., grape bags).

• Bags sold on store shelves.

There is still lots of plastic packaging on supermarket shelves, so here are some ways you can avoid it when shopping.

Source: Western Australia’s Plan for Plastics