The ACT Greens want the Territory to follow South Australia’s lead and ban plastic fish-shaped soy sauce bottles. Photo: James Coleman.
The ACT Government will “strongly” consider phasing out additional single-use plastics after South Australia banned soy sauce fish containers at the start of this month.
The South Australian Government banned the plastic fish-shaped containers from 1 September, stating “more manageable alternatives” such as sachets, squeezable packs, or certified compostable containers could replace the “convenience packaging”.
The ACT Greens want the Territory to follow suit at once.
Deputy leader Jo Clay said the ACT Government had banned plastics before – such as heavyweight plastic shopping bags from the start of 2024 and plastic straws from 2022 – and should do so again.
“Canberrans want to do the right thing by the planet. But it isn’t always easy and too often our systems put the blame and guilt on individuals rather than provide convenient and accessible solutions for people,” she said.
“[The ACT Government’s] banned single-use plastics – like cutlery, bowls, plates, polystyrene takeaway containers and much more – in partnership with impacted businesses and in consultation with the community [before].
“If we don’t ban or recycle these items, they have a higher chance to become litter, run off into our waterways, and cause real harm to our birds, fish and wildlife that mistake them for food.”
Ms Clay wrote to Environment Minister Suzanne Orr and City Services Minister Tara Cheyne on 11 September.
She raised concerns that Canberra’s new recycling facility won’t be able to process smaller items of plastic, such as the soy sauce containers, stating this was another reason why the government needed to start finding an alternative solution to convenience packaging now.
“There are already solutions that have a low impact on the community, like soy sauce bottles being provided at cafes and restaurants,” Ms Clay argued.
“Government doesn’t really have a strong reason to not consider this, despite saying it is not being considered.
“My question to the ACT Labor Government is: will you run a consultation on how to ban soy sauce fish, and change plans so small plastics can be recycled in our new facility? Or will you condemn these containers and other items of small plastic to landfill and as litter in our parks and public places forever?”
At the 10 December 2024, Environment Ministers Meeting, the ACT Government was among the jurisdictions that agreed to work together to reduce variations of 24 items listed in the National Roadmap: Harmonising action on problematic and unnecessary plastics.
Single-serve pre-packaged condiment containers, such as soy sauce fish, are on the list.
All jurisdictions – excluding Queensland – also agreed to “coordinate future action to be consistent to the extent possible”.
An ACT Government spokesperson told Region that it was “expected” other jurisdictions would consider how they’d take action on the listed items “by considering their local context”.
“Phasing out additional single-use plastics such as soy sauce fish containers will be strongly considered in future efforts to identify other items that could be removed from circulation,” they said.
“The government continues to identify problematic waste streams that can be phased out from circulation. This includes plastics, such as the soy sauce fish containers. The next set of items to be phased out has not yet been determined.
“Before any ‘bans’ occur, it is necessary to undertake consultation with stakeholders and the public to ensure practical alternatives are available and everyone is well-informed of any phase-out.”
Household packaging with a plastic identification code of 1, 2, 3 and 5 are sorted and baled for recycling at Canberra’s Materials Recovery Facility (as long as they are empty and dry).
This can include ice-cream containers, yoghurt tubs, berry punnets and biscuit trays.
Plastic items such as chip packets, coffee cup lids, plastic wrap and squeeze bottles are not accepted for recycling at the centre. Items smaller than a credit card – including milk bottle lids and metal beer bottle caps – are too small to be sorted.
“Items smaller than a credit card cannot be recycled through the ACT’s yellow-lidded recycling bin collection service,” the government spokesperson said.
“Soy sauce fish containers are not recycled at materials recovery facilities as they are too small and fall through the sorting equipment and are treated as contamination.
“Soy-sauce fish containers currently need to go in the general waste bin and then go to landfill. Alternative single-serve soy sauce sachets are not accepted in recycling bins and should be placed in the general waste bin.”
Organisations such as Lids4Kids and RecycleSmart also do not accept plastic soy sauce fish.
