<div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>South Australia will become the first state to ban soy sauce fish containers in a matter of weeks.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>The containers, as well as plastic straws and cutlery attached to food or drinks, non-compostable fruit and vegetable stickers and prepackaged cups and bowls containing meals, will be phased out from September 1.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>The items will join a wide list of banned single-use plastics like grocery bags, straws, cutlery, stirrers, cups, bowls, plates, containers, cotton buds, pizza savers, confetti, balloon sticks and ties and food bag tags.</span></div></div><div><div id="adspot-mobile-medium"></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><strong><span>READ MORE: </span></strong><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/national/electric-vehicle-road-user-charge-planned-for-australia/2278ac8f-8ad0-43ef-8145-94b2c7eccff0" rel="" target="_blank" title=""><strong><span>'Phased' charge for EV owners on the horizon</span></strong></a></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Environment Minister and Deputy Premier Susan Close said the use of soy sauce fish containers was "undeniably high" given their pervasiveness in sushi and takeaway culture.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"Each fish-shaped container is used for just seconds, yet remains in the environment for decades or centuries if littered," she said.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"Their small size means they're easily dropped, blown away, or washed into drains, making them a frequent component of beach and street litter.</span></div></div><div><div class="OUTBRAIN" data-reactroot="" data-src="//www.9news.com.au/national/south-australia-bans-single-use-plastic-soy-sauce-fish-containers/9035fce9-f8e9-4af1-bbd3-263c61819885" data-widget-id="AR_5"></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"In kerbside recycling, they're too small to be captured by sorting machinery and often end up in landfill or as fugitive plastic in the environment.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"If littered, they can break into microplastics, which persist in soils, waterways, and oceans."</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Close added that the soy sauce fish containers were a "convenience packaging" item that can be replaced with more sustainable solutions.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><strong><span>READ MORE: </span></strong><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/finance/ampol-eg-group/6450c950-318e-4654-8307-bf5d9c5c16a1" rel="" target="_blank" title=""><strong><span>Popular Aussie servos set for $1 billion transformation</span></strong></a></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Nina Wootton, a marine scientist specialising in microplastics and plastic waste at the University of Adelaide, said the soy sauce fish containers turn up in sums on beaches.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"I do find them a lot, often the whole actual sushi soy sauce little mini fish. They're common," she said.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Wootton admitted that she struggles to minimise her own single-use plastic waste at sushi restaurants, but said it was impossible to avoid entirely.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"Even before you ask if you want the soy sauce, they've already started putting it in there," she said.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"There is still so many single-use plastics I use in my everyday life, even with being really conscious, so anything where the decision is taken out of our control, I think, is really good."</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><strong><span>READ MORE: </span></strong><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/national/australian-mums-doing-ugc-side-hustle-instead-of-traditional-jobs/fb137f82-ecd3-4dc2-9d5c-856ef621faf7" rel="" target="_blank" title=""><strong><span>Aussie mums ditching 'traditional' jobs for booming side hustle</span></strong></a></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>South Australia is the first state to ban soy sauce fish containers, with two other states considering following suit. </span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>NSW is currently considering a proposal to phase out plastic sauce packages, such as soy sauce containers, and require them to be recyclable by 2030.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>The government expects to make an announcement on this in the coming months. </span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Tasmania is also considering phasing out the same containers, but has not yet developed any draft legislation or undertaken consultation.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Queensland has ruled out any more single-use plastic bans beyond the straws, stirrers, plates and unenclosed bowls, cutlery, takeaway food containers, cotton buds, peanut packaging and microbeads already prohibited.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Western Australia is expanding its single-use plastic ban to include non-compostable plastic barrier bags for fruit and vegetables, unpackaged meat, seafood and dairy products on September 1. </span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>The remaining states and territories are making no changes at this stage to their current single-use plastic bans.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><strong><span>READ MORE:</span></strong><span> </span><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/national/australians-are-consuming-a-lot-more-of-these-four-drugs/26afbacd-1621-47b1-8ca9-86eb5e17ff35" rel="" target="_blank" title=""><strong><span>Australians are consuming a lot more of these four drugs</span></strong></a></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Australia is one of more than 175 countries attempting to finalise a legally-binding global plastics treaty in Geneva, as plastic production and consumption around the world is set to triple by 2060</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"We are determined to push for an effective and meaningful global treaty to achieve our goal of ending plastic pollution by 2040," Federal Environment Minister Murray Watt said.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"These negotiations are a critical step toward preserving the world's ocean and environment for future generations, and we strongly believe in global action."</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/national/how-to-follow-9news-digital/29855bb1-ad3d-4c38-bc25-3cb52af1216f" rel="" target="" title="https://www.9news.com.au/national/how-to-follow-9news-digital/29855bb1-ad3d-4c38-bc25-3cb52af1216f"><em><strong><span>DOWNLOAD THE 9NEWS APP</span></strong></em></a><em><strong><span>: Stay across all the latest in breaking news, sport, politics and the weather via our news app and get notifications sent straight to your smartphone. Available on the</span></strong></em><span> </span><a href="https://apps.apple.com/au/app/9news/id1010533727" title="https://apps.apple.com/au/app/9news/id1010533727"><em><strong><span>Apple App Store</span></strong></em></a><span> </span><em><strong><span>and</span></strong></em><span> </span><a href="https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=nineNewsAlerts.nine.com&amp;hl=en_AU" rel="" target="" title="https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=nineNewsAlerts.nine.com&amp;hl=en_AU"><em><strong><span>Google Play</span></strong></em></a><em><strong><span>.</span></strong></em></div></div>