Papyrus Australia applauds the South Australian government for the prohibition of polystyrene items including cups, bowls, plates and clamshell containers and all oxo-degradable products.

As the first state in Australia to ban single-use plastic bags in 2009, and prohibit single use plastic items like plastic straws and cutlery in March 2021, this next stage is another positive step toward avoiding waste and reducing litter.

Australians use 130kg of plastic per person on average each year and recycle less than 12% of it. More frightening still, up to 130,000 tonnes of plastic will end up in the ocean via our waterways. It has been estimated that if current trends continue, by 2050 there will be more plastics in the ocean than fish. Recent research has shown that it is now making its way into the food chain and landing on our plates.

As a South Australia-born company with sustainability at our core, Papyrus Australia applauds the South Australian Government in this endeavour. As a leader in the manufacture of an environmentally-friendly, sustainable alternative, we are excited by the opportunity that the single-use plastic ban will have in terms of benefits for the environment, but also the economic benefits and the creation of local jobs.