SA About To Become First State To Ban Common Takeaway Container

Green Industries SA CEO Josh Wheeler joins Graeme Goodings on FIVEAA.

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Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:00):
On an iconic form. Food packaging is about to bite
the dust. In twenty twenty three, the state banned plastic
cotton bud stems, pizza sabers, and single use plates and bowls.
A year later, plastic bags, balloon sticks and ties, confetti,
bread tags, single use coffee cups and lids were added
to the list of prohibited plastics. Now it's plastic stores,

(00:20):
plastic cutlery, and wait for it, soy sauce fish containers
are about to be outlawed in Southastralia. To tell us
more about it is Josh Wheeler, CEO of Green Industries. Josh,
good morning to you.

Speaker 2 (00:32):
Good morning Graham. How are you going good?

Speaker 1 (00:34):
Thanks will be making an impact in ridding the world
of plastics, we are, Yeah.

Speaker 2 (00:40):
We're seeking to do that through these single use plastic
bands and restrictions. And we're seeking to do that, like
you've just outlined, through a series of bands over several years,
which started back in twenty twenty one. And what you've
just outlined is sort of the final stage of those
that we've committed to so far.

Speaker 1 (00:56):
I don't think anyone would disagree that it's a good
thing to happen, But how difficult is it for manufacturers
to replace these single use plastics.

Speaker 2 (01:06):
So what we found is through making these decisions around
banning these types of products, is creating that incentive if
you liked, for the manufacturers to look at alternatives and
create the market for more sustainable alternatives.

Speaker 1 (01:20):
Now, what is the story with the soy sauce fish containers.
I think they have a soft spot in most people's hearts.
I thought they were recyclable.

Speaker 2 (01:30):
No, not true, your standard sort of recycling services. So
if you put those soy sauce fish containers in your curves,
are recycling bin they're going to end up in lands,
so they'd be falling through the recycling technology. So while
they might have a soft spot in half some people there,
we receive really strong support through our public consultation that
this was night and the public would like to see banns.

Speaker 1 (01:51):
Yeah, so I was going to say, what sort of
feedback do you get generally on getting rid of some
of these convenience items effectively.

Speaker 2 (01:58):
Yes, so very strong support in the South Australian community. Now,
I think that comes from our ingrained waste management and
recycling history, going back to the contained positive scheme that
was interuced in the seventies. But we received whenever we
understake these consultations regular feedback from the community around banning
these tubs of products.

Speaker 1 (02:16):
When it comes to recycling, and I don't know if
I've picked the right spot or the right person to
speak to about it, we seem to come or not
be at odds, but recycling bins and which goes in
which there seems to be a change. It's not so
specific anymore.

Speaker 2 (02:33):
Well, fortunately through Green Industry the Day, we've got a
fantastic resource where you can find information on that. So
which bin, the which bin? Which bin? Sat Au has
a search ngem when you can identify those sorts of
things and what's best to go in the yellow lidded
recycling bin versus what would go in your green organic
spin or through another recycling pathway.

Speaker 1 (02:54):
I've found that when putting stuff in the bin like newspaper,
ends up with plastic bottles and the like. So at
the other end of the chain, the obviously they can
be recycled and separated.

Speaker 2 (03:07):
Yes, we've got really sophisticated material recovery facilities in South Australia.
In other parts of the country as well, we've got
three around rich pollen and adelaide that take that coming
good recycling from the household lots of equipment. You know,
these local government owned facilities with private operators sometimes involved,

(03:30):
have invested quite a lot of money into these technology
that separates out those you know, the cardboard, the paper,
the plastics, the glass, those sorts of things and really
becomes a recovered resource enter the comminaty market.

Speaker 1 (03:43):
So when does the ban on plastic straws, plastic cutlery
and soy sauce fish containers come into effect?

Speaker 2 (03:49):
So the straws, cutlery and sera those loose items was
back in twenty twenty one. The soy sauce fish containers,
which we see as most commonly in the shape of fish,
it can be also other shapes, is first of September
twenty twenty five, so this year, and what you've just
mentioned in terms of straws and cutlery would be those
attached the items. So the items that you know, a

(04:11):
straw that might be attached to a free drink.

Speaker 1 (04:14):
Are there any other plastics on the horizon that facing
a band.

Speaker 2 (04:20):
So South Australia has had lots of first in this
space and we've we've head of the game nationally, so
we out of twenty four items that have been greed
nationally for jurisdictions to take action on, we've got to
twenty out of those twenty four and we're looking at
what those of us are, including what might be a
national solution for some of those. And there is really

(04:41):
good engagement across jurisdiction at the moment in terms of
harmonized action on these where possible. And what's also really
relevant for this is some reform to national packaging regulation
that's been laid by the Australian government.

Speaker 1 (04:55):
Josh, good to chat. Thanks for time today. Thanks man,
Josh Wheeler see of green in this jeez, So what
are your thoughts, folks,