The lightweight plastic bag ban is the first of many plastic items being banned in NSW this year – and from November, more “problematic plastics”, such as cutlery and plates, will also be banned.
Despite several announcements about the ban, the State Opposition said the promised campaign of education and behaviour change information to assist the transition “was left far too late and was nowhere near adequate to reach all businesses”.
It said “many retailers are reporting they only found out about the changes last week – despite a number of announcements about the ban – and are now facing massive fines or having to dispose of thousands of dollars’ worth of bags to landfill”.
The Opposition says small businesses have been under enormous pressure throughout the pandemic, and a massive fine for changes to a law they didn’t know about would be devastating for many.
Opposition Minister for Small Business, Steve Kamper, says the changes are a disaster for the environment and small business.
“No one told these small businesses that plastic bags are banned from Wednesday so now they’re sitting on thousands of dollars’ worth of bags they can’t use,” he said.
“These businesses will have to write that money off – straight down the drain.”
The State Government said that to ensure small businesses were ready for the changes, it engaged the National Retail Association (NRA) to deliver a comprehensive retailer education campaign.
Ban starts on single use plastic bags
THOUSANDS of wholesalers and retailers will be left sitting on millions of unused, single use, light-weight plastic bags after they are banned from tomorrow, says the State Opposition.