Overview

• The ban took effect on 1 September and targets pre-filled soy containers with a cap or stopper holding under 30 milliliters, while small plastic sachets remain allowed.
• It forms part of the state’s broader single-use plastics policy that also bans plastic straws, disposable cutlery attached to packaging and pre-packaged polystyrene food containers.
• The government is urging businesses to switch to bulk dispensers or refillable condiment bottles as replacements for the single-use novelty containers.
• State officials say the tiny bottles are frequently dropped or blown into drains, evade sorting at recycling facilities and can persist for decades, breaking down into microplastics.
• Marine ecologists warn the fish-shaped design can be mistaken for prey by sea life, and other Australian states are considering similar rules.