The Western Australia's Plan for Plastics was designed to be implemented in a staged approach.
Stage 1 regulations ban the following single-use or disposable plastic items:
- plates
- unlidded bowls
- unlidded takeaway food containers
- unlidded cups for cold beverages
- cutlery
- drink stirrers
- drinking straws
- thick plastic shopping bags
- expanded polystyrene (EPS) takeaway food containers
- helium balloon releases.
Compliance and enforcement – Stage 1
Enforcement of Stage 1 regulations started on 1 July 2022 for all items except cups, which started on 1 October 2022.
If you suspect a banned plastic item is being used, compliance inquiries should be emailed to complianceforplastics@dwer.wa.gov.au or you can call 6364 6651.
Exemptions – Stage 1
Please visit this web page to lodge an application for an exemption from the ban or for further information.
Exemption inquiries should be directed to plastic-action@dwer.wa.gov.au or you can call 6364 7000.
Stage 1 information and support
The supply of banned materials to retailers has been prohibited in Western Australia since 30 June 2022.
The Stage 1 single-use plastic ban refers to Australian Standard AS 4736-2006 Biodegradable plastics – Biodegradable plastics suitable for composting and other microbial treatment and AS 5810-2010 Biodegradable plastics – Biodegradable plastics suitable for home composting.
Copies of AS 4736-2006 and AS 5810-2010 are available for viewing free of charge at our office at the Department of Water and Environmental Regulation, Prime House, 8 Davidson Terrace, Joondalup, between 8.30am and 5pm on weekdays.
Stage 1 bans have been supported through a Plastic Free Places program delivered by the Boomerang Alliance, and a comprehensive supplier and retailer education and engagement program (delivered by the National Retail Association), as well as community education programs. Other business resources are available to identify ban-compliant hospitality products on the market.
We acknowledge some people in the community require certain single-use plastic items to meet their needs. We have consulted with disability, health and aged-care sectors to better understand these needs and to allow supplies of plastic drinking straws where there are no suitable alternatives.
A Plastic Straws Working Group was established in February 2021 to ensure any regulatory actions to ban plastic straws will not negatively impact people requiring straws to meet their life needs (see more information on plastic straws). This group transitioned to a broader Single-Use Plastics Working Group to discuss actions for all of the Stage 1 and Stage 2 items, with additional membership ensuring all key sectors are represented.
More information on Stage 1 is available below.
Stage 1 decision regulatory impact statement
The decision regulatory impact statement (DRIS) for Stage 1 assesses the costs and benefits of regulations. It also summarises potential impacts to national and trans-Tasman markets that could result from the introduction of regulations.
The DRIS recommended the preferred approach for regulatory intervention and to seek permanent exemptions under the Mutual Recognition Act 1992 and Trans-Tasman Mutual Recognition Act 1997.
