If you run a café, restaurant, takeaway or function venue in Victoria, the single-use plastics ban isn’t new — it’s been law since 1 February 2023. But it still catches people out. Partly because an exemption ended on 1 January 2026, and partly because the first “greener” switch many venues reach for doesn’t actually make them compliant.
Here’s the plain-English version: what’s banned, what you can still use, and how to switch without guessing.
What’s banned
The ban covers a specific set of single-use plastic items. You can’t sell, supply or give them out in Victoria — whether you charge for them or provide them free:
- Plastic drinking straws
- Plastic drink stirrers
- Plastic cutlery — knives, forks, spoons, chopsticks, splayds, food picks and sporks
- Plastic plates, including paper plates lined with plastic
- Expanded polystyrene (the white foam) food and drink items — including cups, bowls, plates, clamshells and their lids
- Plastic cotton bud sticks
- Since 1 January 2026, banned single-use plastic items integrated into food or drink packaging by a machine — such as a plastic spoon included in a yoghurt tub or a straw attached to a juice box.
The catch most venues miss: “compostable plastic” is still banned
This is the big one. The ban covers conventional plastic as well as biodegradable, degradable and compostable plastic when the product is one of the banned items. Swapping a plastic fork for a “compostable” PLA fork, for example, does not make it compliant. Plant-based does not necessarily mean plastic-free.
For banned items, look for genuinely plastic-free alternatives: wood or bamboo cutlery and stirrers, paper straws, and suitable fibre-based plates and food containers. Check any coating or lining too — a paper plate lined with plastic is still banned.
What you can still use
Victoria has banned specific items, rather than all plastic packaging. These products are generally outside this single-use plastics ban:
- Plastic-lined paper coffee cups and their plastic lids
- Clear plastic cold cups, such as PET cups
- Plastic takeaway containers that aren’t expanded polystyrene foam
- Non-foam plastic lids for containers that aren’t banned
So a café can still serve coffee in a lined paper cup with a plastic lid or pack a salad in a PET container under this ban. It cannot hand out a banned plastic straw or fork, a foam clamshell, or a plastic plate. Choosing fibre or paper for other packaging may suit your venue, but this particular ban does not require every takeaway container to be plastic-free.
Who it applies to, and the penalties
The ban applies to businesses and organisations across Victoria, including cafés, restaurants, retailers, market stalls, sports clubs, schools, not-for-profits and charities. It applies whether a banned item is sold or given away. Penalties can apply for supplying banned items and for giving false or misleading information about what they are made of. Calling a banned plastic item “compostable” does not make it compliant.
The exceptions
There are limited exceptions. Plastic drinking straws can still be supplied to people who need them because of a disability or medical need. There are also exceptions for cotton bud sticks used for specified testing and for cutlery used in correctional and mental health facilities to prevent injury. EPA Victoria also lists items purchased before 1 February 2023 as an exception; check its guidance before relying on this for any stock you still hold.
Making the switch
Start with the items your venue actually uses. Replace banned plastic cutlery with wood or bamboo, plastic straws with paper, and plastic or foam plates with suitable plastic-free fibre alternatives. For bowls, trays and clamshells, check the material and any lining rather than relying on a “compostable” label. If you’re unsure what a product is made of, ask your supplier to confirm it in writing.
Byars stocks plastic-free takeaway and disposable options and can help you identify what your venue needs to swap. If you’re unsure about an item on your shelf, give us a call.
Frequently asked questions
Is compostable plastic cutlery allowed in Victoria?
No. Compostable and biodegradable plastic cutlery is covered by the ban. Choose genuinely plastic-free cutlery, such as wood or bamboo.
Are plastic-lined paper coffee cups banned in Victoria?
No. Plastic-lined paper coffee cups and their non-foam plastic lids aren’t among the items banned by this law. Expanded polystyrene foam cups and lids are banned.
Are plastic takeaway containers banned?
Expanded polystyrene foam food containers are banned. Other plastic takeaway containers generally aren’t covered by this ban, although you should check any accompanying item, such as cutlery or a straw, separately.
What changed on 1 January 2026?
An exemption ended for banned single-use plastic items integrated into food or drink packaging by a machine. Examples include a plastic spoon in a yoghurt tub or a straw attached to a juice box.
What are the penalties for supplying banned items?
Penalties can apply if a business supplies banned items or gives false or misleading information about them. Check EPA Victoria’s guidance for current penalty details.
Source: EPA Victoria’s single-use plastics guidance, checked September 2026. Separate rules apply to plastic bags. If you’re unsure about a specific product, check EPA’s guidance or ask your supplier. This article provides general information, not legal advice. (epa.vic.gov.au)
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