Did you know in 2022, NSW will be banning certain single-use plastics?

From 1 June 2022 - lightweight plastic shopping bags.

From 1 Nov 2022 - single-use plastic straws, stirrers and cutlery.

From 1 Nov 2022  - single-use plastic plates and bowls.

From 1 Nov 2022  - expanded polystyrene foodware.

You can find out more about what this means, and how it affects you here.

Plastics were developed in the early 20th century and were environmentally important, replacing ivory, tortoiseshell, horn and other plant and animal products.

By the 1960s plastic had gone from being used in durable items to widespread use including disposable plastic packaging.

In fact:

• Every piece of plastic ever produced still remains somewhere on earth today.

• Globally, we now use 1,000,000 plastic bags a minute.

• Some sources estimate that 500 million plastic straws are used daily.

• Every day an estimated 2.25 billion takeaway coffee cups are used.

• Plastic now makes up 75-90% of marine pollution.

• Plastic can act as a sponge for other toxins in the ocean to cling to. When ingested by sea creatures the toxins then "biomagnify" up the food chain.

• In some patches of the ocean the plastic to plankton ratio is up to 46:1

• We currently recover only 5-10% of the plastics we produce.

The solution is simple: It’s time to kick the single-use habit!

Check out our other pages right here to help you on along the way.