The Last Straw on the Great Barrier Reef (GBR) was the Official Campaign © eradicating single-use plastic straws in venues operating on and around the GBR. Launching in 2016, by Marine Biologist Nicole Nash, the movement had 377 venues register, resulting in over 4.5million less plastic straws used per year!
The data that the campaign collected was provided to the Queensland Parliament (read the full submission here) in August 2020. Nicole delivered the statistics of the campaign at the Public Hearing in Cairns on 4 August 2020 and has been advised by committee members that this assisted in the passing of the Waste Reduction and Recycling (Plastic Items) Amendment Bill 2021– banning single use plastic items in Queensland
As part of Queensland’s plan to tackle plastic pollution (PDF, 4 MB) and following support from the community, retailers and industry organisations, the supply of the following single-use plastic items are now banned in Queensland as of 1 September 2021:
- straws: regular straws, flexible straws, straws with a scoop, cocktail straws and bubble tea straws
- cutlery: knives, forks, spoons, teaspoons, sample tasting spoons, soup spoons, chopsticks, splayds and sporks
- bowls and plates
- stirrers: hot or cold drink stirrers, swizzle sticks and hot or cold food stirrers
- expanded polystyrene takeaway food containers and cups, for example ‘clamshell’ style containers.
The ban starts on 1 September 2021
Our Goals
Make the GBR region plastic straw free and reduce plastic pollution entering the reef to preserve our marine ecosystems (and marine life) for future generations.
The Last Straw on the GBR goal is making the GBR region plastic straw free and reduce plastic pollution entering the reef to preserve our marine ecosystems (and marine life) for future generations. At The Last Straw, we believe ‘there’s no excuse for single use,’ and that each and everyone of us have a social responsibility to protect our environment, which includes reducing our use of plastics. We encourage everyone to BYO straw, there are stainless steel, silicone, bamboo and even glass that are reusable these days.
To hear more about Nicole and her journey to launching the Last Straw – visit our About Tab. For those who are more visual – check out Advancing Australia’s Episode 1 on Ten Play to hear and see Nicole’s journey. Watch a snip of Advancing Australia – The Last Straw – on YouTube
We are no longer taking registrations of venues who go plastic straw free in QLD as it is now law that plastic straws are banned*. *refer to QLD Government for further information.
For further information read our FAQ’s, but for ease of access listed below is our MOST commonly asked question – about the different type of straws on the market!
Plastic, PLA and Oxy straws are a major issue if they end up in the natural environment, whether it be waterways or the rainforest. These types of straws remain hard, rigid and impose a threat to marine life/wildlife if ingested. Similarly these types of straws require industrial facilities* for them to even begin to break down. *See our FAQs
The only single-use type of straw recommended for commercial use is paper – as it will soften if it happens to fall into the marine environment, imposing minimal impact to wildlife. They will also decompose completely under minimal conditions – this will happen even in your own compost bin.
We are proud to be in collaboration with Citizens of the Great Barrier Reef to assist in spreading these types initiatives further afield.
Thank you to all our other supporting partners and community members in helping us, help the Great Barrier Reef.
(for schools going plastic straw free visit Straw No More to register)
The Last Straw on the Great Barrier Reef 