Independent review: Single-use and Other Plastic Products (Waste Avoidance) Act 2020 (2024)

The Single-use and Other Plastic Products (Waste Avoidance) Act 2020 provides the framework for restrictions and prohibitions on the manufacture, production, distribution, sale or supply of certain single-use and other plastic products in South Australia.

The Act came into operation on 1 March 2021 and requires that a review be conducted into various aspects of the Act as soon as practicable after the third anniversary of the commencement of the Act. The Minister for Climate, Environment and Water, The Hon Susan Close MP engaged Mr Richard Dennis AM PSM to undertake the review.

The review process included:

• meeting with key people interested or involved in the operation or administration of the Act (see Appendix 1 for a list of people or bodies who provided submissions, or who were specifically consulted, for the purposes of the review)
• seeking responses to an issues paper prepared by the reviewer
• seeking submissions, and the completion of a survey, via YourSAy, and promoting the review via social media
• conducting a workshop with members of the Single-use Plastics Stakeholder Taskforce
• conducting his own research and analysis of the Act and other Acts and resources considered relevant to the control of plastics and related issues
• considering legislation in other jurisdictions.

The review outlines 30 recommendations for the South Australian government to consider improving and strengthening the Act. 

A government response to the report is currently being prepared for the Minister.