Queensland has paused its plans to ban additional single-use plastics, awaiting a cohesive national strategy.
Jack McKay reports for ABC News.
In short:
- Queensland's government has halted its efforts to expand bans on single-use plastics such as produce bags, cups, and other items.
- This pause aligns with the state's anticipation of a national road map aiming for standardized regulations across Australia.
- Key environmental groups express concern, urging that actions to reduce plastic waste should not be delayed.
Key quote:
"We're encouraged by states' and territories' intentions to work together to harmonise single-use plastic bans and this work is important."
— Kate Noble, senior manager, World Wildlife Fund Australia Oceans Policy
Why this matters:
The delay in expanding the ban on single-use plastics may hinder efforts to mitigate plastic pollution, an urgent environmental issue. The health implications are also non-trivial; reducing plastic pollution contributes to cleaner ecosystems, which directly impacts human health by ensuring safer sources of seafood and less contamination of the natural resources.
