Overview
- A statewide ban on releasing helium balloons begins in 2026 to curb wildlife deaths from balloon litter.
- From late 2027, NSW starts phasing out plastic bags with handles, bread tags, pizza savers, umbrella sleeves, balloon sticks and ties, loose-fill packaging, expanded or foamed plastic foodware, rinse-off microbeads and plastics with pro‑degradant additives.
- By 2028, cafés must accept reusable cups for takeaways, with single-use cups required to be recyclable.
- By 2030, soy sauce ‘fish’ bottles and small condiment packs give way to recyclable alternatives, takeaway containers must meet easy-to-recycle design standards, non-compostable fruit and vegetable stickers are eliminated, and drink bottle lids up to 1.25 litres must be tethered.
- The government will develop red and green chemical lists described as an Australian first, align key dates with other states, pilot a reuse‑only precinct in Sydney’s CBD in late 2027, and address recycling rates below 16 percent with landfill capacity tightening in Greater Sydney.