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Home / Regulations / Single-Use Plastics Ban

Victoria single-use plastics ban: business checklist

Check Victoria’s banned single-use plastics and specific exceptions. Compostable plastic is not an automatic exemption; verify replacements before buying.

Illustration accompanying Single-Use Plastics Ban
Illustrative image

Sources checked 18 September 2026. Scope: Victoria, with Australian schemes identified where relevant.

Check the item before buying replacements for banned plastic. A compostable or biodegradable label does not automatically make a single-use plastic product lawful in Victoria. Source: EPA Victoria — Single-use plastics.

What applies

EPA lists banned plastic straws, stirrers, cotton bud sticks, plates, cutlery and expanded-polystyrene food-service items. The ban includes compostable and degradable plastic variants. Certain integrated packaging items were added from 1 January 2026. Specific exceptions include drinking straws for disability or medical needs. Source: EPA Victoria — Single-use plastics.

Practical checks for your business

These suggested planning steps help organise site information; they are not an exhaustive legal compliance checklist.

  1. List disposable items, including those attached to food or drink packaging.
  2. Obtain material/reusability information and compare actual products with current EPA rules and exceptions.
  3. Update purchasing and staff instructions. Check waste-service acceptance separately before claiming replacements are composted or recycled.

Confirm the requirement for your site

For a disputed requirement or enforcement issue, ask the relevant authority or qualified adviser to identify the current provision and how it applies. Do not rely on an old penalty amount or general website summary.

Keep a usable decision record

Keep assessments, acceptance conditions, responsible contacts and supporting records together. Note what needs confirmation before changing the service or starting work.

Common question

Is compostable plastic an automatic exemption?

No. EPA says the ban also applies to compostable, biodegradable and degradable versions of banned plastic items.

Discuss your collection requirements

Contact Bundle Waste with the waste type, site and collection requirements. Keep specialist legal, environmental or safety assessment separate from the collection request.

Sources

Primary guidance checked 18 September 2026. Review due 18 October 2026, or sooner if requirements change.