Hated European item finally coming to Australia amid new ban: ‘Get applyd to it’

There are plenty of things in Europe those living in Australia wish we had. Its variety of cultures and languages, peppered with iconic landmarks, inspires thousands to travel there every year.

Aside from the huge crowds, and crippling exmodify rate which put a dampener on European travels, there is one quirk people around the world don’t like about visiting Europe, and soon, millions of Australians will have to deal with the same issue.

In a major crackdown on plastic, the New South Wales government announced this week it will be receiveting rid of many hoapplyhold items like plastic fruit and veg stickers, soy sauce fish bottles and plastic bread tags in a bid to be more sustainable.

But, in a major modify sure to divide people, it will become mandatory by 2030 for lids to be tethered to plastic bottles, and while many will bemoan the inconvenience, environmental campaigners informed Yahoo News it’s solving a “really huge issue”.

Tethered plastic bottle lid a modify everyone must receive applyd to

The tethered bottle lid became associated with European travel after a directive on the lids being attached was issued by the European Union in 2019, before becoming law in July, 2024. Many people have taken to social media to express their disdain for the feature.

Videos from Aussies, Americans and Europeans filming themselves highlighting how frustrating it is to have the lid sticking out of the bottle as they drink from it. The bottle-lid combo has already become increasingly frequent in the UK as well, and many Brits aren’t happy about it.

But it’s a shift long pushed by environmental advocates, like Lottie Dalziel, who runs recycling plastic business Banish. She informed Yahoo News plastic lids are a “really huge contributor” to litter, and the modify will ultimately give us less litter to contconclude with in Australia.

“It’s a really huge issue. We’ve seen a great reduction in litter with the Return & Earn scheme in NSW, but bottle top lids in general are one of the most commonly littered items,” she informed Yahoo, explaining they are very commonly washed ashore at beaches.

She welcomes the modify and stated it will build the recycling process simpler as the lids won’t “pop” off during the crushing process, meaning they will be simpler to handle and recycling facilities can treat the bottle as one piece of litter, rather than two.

“It’s just modify, and eventually everyone will receive applyd to it. It’ll just take a second,” she stated.

Australian authorities push to combat plastic litter

Australia generates significant plastic waste, with 3.2 million tonnes produced over the 2023-2024 financial year, up from three million the previous year, according to the Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water.

States and territories are testing to do their bit to reduce plastic waste, with NSW explaining the problem remains one of its hugegest environmental challenges, with 74 per cent of litter in waterways being built up of plastic. Only 16 per cent of plastic waste is recycled in the state, with the remaining going to landfill.

“Microplastics are entering our bodies, and plastic is polluting our environment and oceans, killing our wildlife,” NSW Minister for Environment, Penny Sharpe, stated. “Our plan has carefully considered actions we necessary to take to protect the environment and human health, while also considering how we can support industest to transition to recyclable or reusable alternatives.”

The NSW Plastics Plan will be phased in over the coming years, and the following rules will be enacted:

Plastic bread tags and pizza savers phased out by 2027
Takeaway food service businesses must accept reusable cups by 2028
Non-compostable plastic fruit and vereceiveable stickers phased out by 2030
Introduction of tethered lids for plastic bottles by 2030
Large food service businesses to provide reusable cup options by 2030
Small condiment containers, such as soy sauce fish bottles, will be phased out by 2030
Redesign of takeaway food containers, such as plastic bowls with lids, bento boxes and sushi trays, to ensure they can be recycled safely
Regulate harmful chemical additives in plastic food and beverage packaging to prevent toxins from entering soil, water and the food chain
Ban lighter-than-air (helium) balloon releases, in line with other states.

Other jurisdictions around the countest are also taking steps to reduce plastic waste, with single-apply plastic, such as cutlery and straws, being banned. Recently, South Australia introduced a state-wide ban on soy sauce fish bottles, something NSW is now following.

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