NSW announces next stage of plastic bans including bread tags and pizza savers
These common household products are set to vanish from at least one Australian state as authorities crack down on “unnecessary” plastics that are hard to recycle and harmful to people and planet
READING LEVEL: GREEN
Plastic bread tags and pizza savers will soon be off the menu in at least one Australian state as it pushes ahead with its crackdown on single-use plastics in an effort to cut pollution and protect the environment.
The changes are part of the next stage of the NSW Plastics Plan, a long-term strategy that has already put a stop to items such as plastic straws, cutlery, and lightweight shopping bags.
The next to go are “unnecessary and hard-to-recycle plastic products”, with the plan set to be introduced in stages from next year through to 2030.
The move follows growing global concern over microplastics*, which are increasingly being found in waterways, wildlife and even the human body.
NSW Minister for the Environment Penny Sharpe said the updated plan aimed to safeguard* both people and planet.
“Microplastics are entering our bodies and plastic is polluting our environment and oceans, killing our wildlife,” she said in a statement.
“This plan moves NSW another step closer to phasing out these problematic items,” Ms Sharpe said.
At a press conference on Sunday, Ms Sharpe said the state’s growing waste problem was putting pressure on landfill* capacity.
“We’re running out of landfill across New South Wales and we’re running out of it in Greater Sydney,” she said.
She noted that in the past year alone, NSW produced more than 935,000 tonnes of plastic waste, with less than 16 per cent recycled.
“A huge amount of it is ending up in our waterways, in our parks, making a mess everywhere.”
The rollout will begin next year, when NSW joins other states in banning the release of helium* balloons.
Government buildings will also start trialling reusable cup schemes, which are expected to expand to takeaway outlets by 2028 and become mandatory* for larger food businesses by 2030.
From late 2027, plastic bread tags and the small tripod-shaped “pizza savers” that stop your topping from sticking to the box will also be phased out. Bans on plastic bags with handles, regardless of thickness, and on plastic umbrella sleeves, will also land in 2027, along with eliminating* non-compostable* plastic fruit and vegetable stickers.
Following measures already taken in South Australia, miniature soy sauce “fish” bottles and small condiment* containers are also being scrapped.
To ensure safer production standards, the NSW government will introduce a “green” and “red” list of chemicals, an Australian-first initiative that will identify which substances are permitted or banned in plastic manufacturing and highlight safer alternatives.
Member for Strathfield Jason Yat-Sen Li, whose electorate is home to a busy cafe and restaurant scene, said the plan gave local businesses a clear path forward.
“Our takeaway and hospitality businesses are the backbone of our economy in Strathfield and Burwood,” Mr Li said.
“They want to do the right thing, and now they’ve got a clear, practical path to reduce plastic waste.
“This is a real opportunity for businesses to lead. From sushi and dumpling bars to bakeries and noodle shops, Strathfield’s food scene can be at the forefront* of the next wave of sustainability*.”
POLL
GLOSSARY
- microplastics: very small pieces of plastic that pollute the environment; humans are known to consume microplastics but the impact on health is not yet known
- safeguard: protect something or someone from harm
- landfill: getting rid of very large amounts of rubbish by burying it in a large deep hole
- helium: a chemical element that is a gas lighter than air, that will not burn and is used in balloons, airships, and some types of lights
- mandatory: something that must be done or is demanded by law
- eliminating: removing or getting rid of someone or something
- non-compostable: not biodegradable, not able to decay naturally and in a way that is not harmful to the environment
- condiment: something to add to food to make it taste better, like sauce and salt
- forefront: being in the lead or occupying the most important position
- sustainability: when something has the ability to be maintained at a steady level without using all available natural resources or harming the environment
EXTRA READING
Are microplastics really inside us?
Human poo study finds microplastics
Magnet to mop ocean microplastic
QUICK QUIZ
- How many tonnes of plastic waste has NSW produced in the last year alone?
- What proportion of that plastic waste was recycled?
- There’s growing global concern about what and where are they being found?
- What kind of balloons will be banned in NSW next year?
- Name three very common products that will be phased out by late 2027?
LISTEN TO THIS STORY
CLASSROOM ACTIVITIES
1. Follow the tag
Fill out the table below, following the life of a bread tag and pizza saver/table.
- What material is it made from?
- How long would it take to break down?
- What could it be turned into instead of being thrown away?
Time: allow 15 minutes to complete this activity
Curriculum Links: English, Science, Personal and Social, Critical and Creative Thinking
2. Extension
What could you do at school to help recycle or reuse some of these plastics? Is there a way you could collect, reuse or recycle them in different ways? Work with a partner and brainstorm some ideas.
Time: allow 10 minutes to complete this activity
Curriculum Links: English, Science, Personal and Social, Critical and Creative Thinking
VCOP ACTIVITY
Wow word recycle
There are plenty of wow words (ambitious pieces of vocabulary) being used in the article. Some are in the glossary, but there might be extra ones from the article that you think are exceptional as well.
Identify all the words in the article that you think are not common words, and particularly good choices for the writer to have chosen.
Select three words you have highlighted to recycle into your own sentences.
If any of the words you identified are not in the glossary, write up your own glossary for them.
Extension
Find a bland sentence from the article to up-level. Can you add more detail and description? Can you replace any base words with more specific synonyms?
Down-level for a younger audience. Find a sentence in the article that is high level. Now rewrite it for a younger audience so they can understand the words without using the glossary.