Plastic presents an ever-growing challenge to our society and our planet. It has wide-ranging uses and benefits across every facet of our daily life, from preserving and packaging food and keeping medical equipment sterile, through to manufacturing cars and planes, computers, phones and televisions, to name a few.

However, rising plastic consumption is an ever-increasing threat to our environment. It is estimated that by 2050 there will be more plastic (by weight) in our oceans than fish, which may take hundreds or even thousands of years to break down.

The ACT has already acted to reduce single-use plastic bags, with the introduction of the plastic shopping bag ban in 2011. But there is a need to take this further and avoid using plastic where it is feasible and practical to do so.