Western Australia's Plan for Plastics is implemented through the Environmental Protection (Prohibited Plastics and Balloons) Regulations 2018. Stage 1 supply bans commenced on 1 July 2022 (plastic bags with handles, straws, stirrers, cutlery, plates, bowls, unlidded containers, EPS food containers and trays, and helium balloon releases), with cold cups from 1 October 2022; an offence for false information had applied from 1 January 2022.
Stage 2 followed on 1 September 2023 (EPS loose fill, cups and trays, degradable plastics, plastic-stemmed cotton buds, microbeads), 1 March 2024 (coffee cups, cup lids, takeaway trays), 1 September 2024 (plastic produce bags, foodware lids, lidded containers) and 1 July 2025 (moulded and cut EPS packaging). Barrier bags must meet a compostable design standard from 1 October 2025 for loose fruit, vegetables, nuts and confectionery and from 1 October 2026 for loose meat, seafood and dairy. The bans were made by regulation, so there was no second-reading debate.
Status as at September 2026: in force, with the final barrier-bag stage commencing on 1 October 2026. Dates verified against Department of Water and Environmental Regulation (DWER)'s Plan for Plastics page and barrier-bags factsheet (wa.gov.au) on 23 September 2026.