Guide to the ban on plastic barrier bags

Replace the Waste
Guide to the ban on plastic barrier bags

The following guide provides information about the ban on plastic barrier bags used for unpackaged fresh fruit, vegetables, nuts, confectionery, dairy products, meat, poultry, or fish and seafood.

At a glance

These bans commenced on 1 September 2024:

Ban on all plastic barrier bags which are not Australian Standard (AS) certified compostable, and are either used to contain or protect unpackaged fresh fruit, vegetables, nuts or confectionery, OR are used by a retail customer as additional protection from leakages for pre-packaged meat, poultry, fish, seafood, herbs or flowers.

Bans will commence on 1 September 2025 for:

all plastic barrier bags which are not Australian Standard (AS) certified compostable and are used to contain or protect unpackaged dairy products (such as cheese), meat, poultry, or fish and seafood.

To comply with the regulations, all AS certified compostable barrier bags must be clearly marked with the certification details.

Plastic barrier bags

What is banned?

A plastic bag without handles (known as either a ‘produce bag’ or ‘barrier bag’) which is used to contain and protect unpackaged products. From 1 September 2024, this included fruit, vegetables, nuts and confectionery. This will be extended to unpackaged dairy products, meat, poultry, or fish and seafood from 1 September 2025.

The ban does not include plastic sleeves used to package or protect herbs and flowers.

However, any barrier bag that is used to provide additional protection from leakage from packaging, such as for pre-packed meat, poultry, all fish and seafood, herbs or flowers, must be AS certified compostable.

Plastic barrier bags are not recyclable in South Australia and after use must be thrown into the landfill bin. AS certified compostable plastic barrier bags can be composted by 80% of South Australian households through their kerbside green organics bin. These bags are also suitable to line kitchen caddies to collect food waste, and any leftover or spoiled food for transferring into the green organics bin, assisting with food waste diversion from landfill.

Labelling requirements

For an AS certified compostable plastic barrier bag to be exempt from being a prohibited plastic product, it must be clearly labelled as, or otherwise marked in a manner that indicates that the product is home compostable, both home compostable and industrially compostable, or industrially compostable (as applicable). The use of the AS certification logo is not mandatory but it is preferred.

Getting ready for the 1 September 2025 ban

If you are a business that sells unpackaged dairy products, meat, poultry, or fish and seafood, you should start trialling alternative compostable bags prior to the bans commencing on 1 September 2025.

This is also an opportunity for you to review how you serve those products to your customers and if there are alternative types of compostable, reusable or recyclable packaging you could use.

Some compostable produce bags are not suitable for storage or freezing after purchase and businesses are encouraged to work with their suppliers to identify certified compostable bags or other compliant alternatives that are fit for their products.

Food safety

In South Australia food businesses are required to comply with the Food Act 2001 and the Australia New Zealand Food Standards Code.

For more information, visit the SA Health website.

What are the other alternatives to plastic barrier bags?

The Replace the Waste alternatives library features some options for reusable or compostable alternatives to plastic barrier bags. This is not an exhaustive list, and you are encouraged to conduct your own research and due diligence before any purchase.

Reusable containers

Businesses can encourage customers to bring their own containers for their purchases. In July 2022, the Civil Liability Act 1936 was changed to remove liability from food businesses such as cafés, restaurants and supermarkets when packaging and selling food to a customer in their own container. This immunity extends to all employees selling the food.

This means there is better protection for businesses that choose to accept customers’ BYO containers. However, if a customer provides an unclean reusable container, you may refuse to fill the container. Businesses may also refuse to use a container that may pose a health and safety risk if dropped or broken, such as glass containers or glass lids.

Your business may still be liable if the person selling the food was negligent and sold food that was knowingly unsafe to eat, or the food was subjected to a food recall at the time of sale.

For more information, visit the SA Health website.

Businesses may also consider implementing reusable container swap systems where regular customers use and return containers to the business.

For more information and ideas, visit the Plastic Free SA website.

Recyclable plastic containers

If AS certified compostable barrier bags are not a suitable alternative, businesses may wish to consider offering customers recyclable alternatives including transparent trays and containers made from polypropylene (PP) or polyethylene terephthalate (PET) which can be readily recycled in kerbside yellow recycling bins across South Australia.

Plastic zip-lock bags

Plastic zip-lock bags are permitted alternatives to plastic barrier bags where an AS certified compostable barrier bag is not a suitable alternative. Plastic zip-lock bags have a greater likelihood of being reused multiple times compared to a conventional plastic barrier bag and can offer additional waterproof qualities for some products with high moisture content.

What isn’t banned?

AS certified compostable bioplastic barrier bags clearly labelled with AS certification details
Reusable bags including nylon mesh and cotton bags
Paper bags
Plastic bags used for non-food and non-perishable items
Plastic bags used for loose bakery products (such as bread rolls and biscuits)
Plastic bags used for pre-packaging fruit and vegetables, nuts, confectionery, dairy products, meat, poultry, or fish and seafood
Plastic bags used to vacuum seal packaging of dairy products, meat, poultry, or fish and seafood
Plastic zip-lock bags
Multipacks of plastic bags sold on-shelf (such as freezer bags, storage bags, zip-lock bags, bin liners, garbage bags, nappy bags)
Plastic sleeves used to package or protect herbs or flowers

FAQs

What are AS certified compostable products?

Certified compostable products are made of materials that do not leave behind any toxic material, breaking down readily in a commercial, or sometimes home, composting system. This can include items that look like plastic, such as bowls, cups and bags. Labelling on these products must clearly state the item is certified compostable, preferably including the relevant AS certification logo, to assist consumers and businesses to purchase compliant products and to use appropriate disposal pathways. Australia has 2 of the highest standards in the world when it comes to certification:

AS 4736:2006 Biodegradable plastics suitable for industrial/compostable composting and other microbial treatment
This certifies the product can be composted through a commercial composting facility. In the majority of South Australian council areas, in workplaces and schools with organics collections, and at public events, this means the material can go into the available green organics bins.

AS 5810:2010 Biodegradable plastics suitable for home or commercial/industrial composting
This certifies that the product can be composted in your home compost bin. It is also suitable to go into a green organics bin.
What is the difference between Australia's industrial composting standard (AS 4736:2006) and Australia's home composting standard (AS 5810:2010)?

Commercial composting facilities generate much more heat than a home compost bin and use oxygen and water to break down materials into compost. Both AS 4736:2006 and AS 5810:2010 certified compostable products can be processed at commercial composting facilities in South Australia.

As home composting facilities do not reach the same high temperatures that are reached at commercial composting facilities, only AS 5810:2010 certified compostable products are suited to home compost systems.
Why are AS certified compostable barrier bags being permitted?

South Australian households currently receive AS certified compostable (AS 4736:2006 and/or AS 5810:2010) bags from their local council or can purchase them separately to line household food waste caddies. AS certified compostable caddy liners are accepted in all green organics bins where food waste is accepted alongside garden organics. More than 80% of South Australians have access to this service. Food and garden organics collections are routinely industrially composted in South Australia, contributing to a reduction of food waste in landfill and increased production of high-quality commercial compost.

Previous research in South Australia found that 3 times as much food waste was diverted in a ventilated kitchen caddy with a caddy liner compared to households using an unlined kitchen caddy. In a separate study within a metropolitan council in South Australia, 2 supermarkets provided AS certified compostable barrier bags for loose fruit and vegetables. The trial resulted in 117% more food being diverted from landfill by residents in the council area.

All barrier bags which are AS certified compostable will need to be clearly marked with their relevant AS compostable certification details so suppliers, business owners and consumers can easily identify compliant bags when purchasing them, and know that they can be disposed of in the green organics bin.

Note: Plastic straws, plastic cutlery and plastic stirrers made from any type of bioplastic will remain banned under current South Australian legislation as these products do not contribute to the capture of food waste from landfill.
Why is there a delay on AS certified compostable barrier bags being required for meat, poultry, dairy, fish, and seafood?

There will be a 12-month delay, until 1 September 2025, for AS certified compostable barrier bags to replace plastic barrier bags used to contain or protect unpackaged meat, poultry, dairy, or fish and seafood.

Industry and businesses have requested additional time to research and test AS certified compostable bags for use with these products. Initial investigations have found that not all compostable bags are compatible with these types of products and, therefore, the delay will provide sufficient time for appropriate AS certified compostable bags to be sourced and labelled or for the business to move to alternative forms of packaging.