The following single-use plastic items are banned from sale or supply in Victoria:
- drinking straws
- drink stirrers
- cotton bud sticks
- plastic plates, including paper plates lined with plastic
- cutlery, including knives, forks, spoons, chopsticks, splayds, food picks and sporks
- expanded polystyrene food service items and drink containers, including plates, cups, bowls, clam shells and covers or lids.
A banned single-use plastic item is made wholly or in part of plastic and is not reusable. Reusable items:
- are manufactured to be used for the same purpose on multiple occasions
- come with a warranty, or other written representation from the manufacturer, that they are designed to last for at least one year.
The ban also applies to biodegradable, degradable and compostable plastics.
Some plastic bags are also banned. Visit Plastic bags.
Single-use plastics and the law
Under the Environment Protection Regulations 2021(opens in a new window), it's against the law to:
- sell, supply, distribute or provide banned single-use plastic items in Victoria
- provide false or misleading information about what banned items are made of.
The ban applies to all shops, businesses, retailers and distributors, whether they sell plastic items or give them out for free. This includes:
- charity shops
- community fetes
- convenience stores
- incorporated entities
- market stallholders
- not-for-profit organisations
- restaurants, cafes and other food outlets
- sports clubs
- schools.
The ban does not apply to individuals in a private capacity.
Bans differ between states. It’s your responsibility to understand and follow Victorian law.
If you don’t comply with the ban, you may face penalties of more than:
- $11,800 for individuals operating a business
- $59,000 for body corporates.
You can report banned single-use plastic items to us.
Exceptions to the ban
There are some exceptions to the ban for specific health and safety reasons, or if alternatives are not available.
The following single-use plastic items are not banned:
- plastic drinking straws for a disability or medical need
- cotton bud sticks for testing for scientific, medical, forensic or law enforcement purposes
- cutlery in correctional and mental health facilities, to prevent physical harm or injury
- any single-use plastic item integrated into food or drink packaging by a machine-automated process – for example, a single-use plastic spoon included in a yoghurt tub (only until 1 January 2026)
- items purchased before 1 February 2023.
You may wish to provide your supplier with a written statement that you're using the items in line with the Regulations.
Our role in single-use plastics
We:
- administer Victoria’s ban on single-use plastic items
- support business and the community to understand the ban and comply with the law
- investigate reports of banned single-use plastic items
- enforce the law.
Learn more about what we do.
Impact of single-use plastics on the environment
Single-use plastics make up a third of the litter we see in our environment and are difficult and costly to clean up.
They are often only used for a few minutes and generate a large amount of waste that is difficult to recycle. This can pollute our environment the same way conventional plastic items do.
Compostable and degradable plastics often still need special processing. All forms of plastic can be bad for the environment when littered.
Reducing plastic pollution in your business
The Victorian Government has information and resources(opens in a new window), including translated posters, to help you comply with the ban.
Sustainability Victoria has information about alternatives to single-use plastics(opens in a new window).
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