They are one of the most familiar sights among takeaway sushi shops around the world, but from today, fish-shaped plastic soy sauce containers are officially on the way out in South Australia.<\/p>\n
In the state’s latest move to phase out single-use plastics, SA has become the first place in the nation to ban the small fish-shaped containers, from September 1, 2025.<\/p>\n
From today, any plastic fish containers with a lid, cap or stopper, containing less than 30ml of soy sauce will be banned, including small rectangular containers.<\/p>\n
So, what’s the alternative?<\/p>\n
While it’s hoped businesses will focus on providing bulk bottles or dispensers of soy sauce in store, plastic sachets will also be allowed in sushi shops instead.<\/p>\n
Environment Minister Susan Close said ideally, businesses will avoid single-use plastics altogether, but sachets are still an improvement.<\/p>\n
“They are still plastics, but they’re much lighter weight, much easier to dispose, and a lot less wasteful,” Ms Close said at a press conference on Saturday.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Environment Minister Susan Close says the fish-shaped packaging is particularly dangerous for wildlife. (ABC News: Carl Saville)<\/p>\n
Ms Close said soy sauce sachets require less energy to manufacture, and are safer for birds and marine life.<\/p>\n
“You can imagine there is sea life that would want to eat something that looks a bit like a fish, so this is one of the worst examples, of wasteful, and harmful single-use plastic and it’s about time we got rid of them,” she said.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Plastic coffee cups and takeaway food containers are among other items which have also been phased out in SA since 2021.<\/p>\n
What do business owners think?<\/p>\n
Stella is a co-owner of Sushi Block in the Adelaide CBD and said she’s pleased with the change, but it will take some adjusting for businesses.<\/p>\n
“We were given some notice so we’ve just been working with suppliers to give us a replacement, which no longer has that plastic shaped fish that everyone’s so used to,” she told ABC Radio Adelaide.<\/p>\n
“If we do run out then we do have the glass bottle dispenser.”<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Small plastic fish-shaped soy sauce containers are banned in SA from today. (ABC Radio Sydney)<\/p>\n
She said it’s likely businesses will run out of the paper sachets as suppliers adapt to the change.<\/p>\n
“There is very limited supply of those little packets,” she said.<\/p>\n
“I think suppliers have had such a hard time getting something affordable for businesses as well.<\/p>\n
“With all the packaging, switching from plastic to paper \u2026 there’s all [sorts of] costs associated.”<\/p>\n
What else has been banned?<\/p>\n
The items are disappearing as part of a longer list of single-use plastics that the SA government has banned for environmental reasons.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Plastic fish-shaped soy sauce containers have been banned in SA from September 1, 2025. (ABC News)<\/p>\n
In 2009, South Australia became the first state to ban lightweight plastic shopping bags.<\/p>\n
The state banned the sale or distribution of plastic straws, cutlery and drink stirrers<\/a>\u00a0in 2021.<\/p>\n In 2023, plastic-stemmed cotton buds, plastic pizza savers, single-use plastic plates and bowls were banned.<\/p>\n Plastic produce bags and thicker boutique-style bags, expanded polystyrene consumer food and beverage containers, plastic balloon sticks were among items banned in 2024, as well as single-use plastic coffee cups and plastic lids.<\/p>\n Produce stickers, like these on Royal Gala apples in a supermarket, can help to trace where the fruit has come from.\u00a0 (ABC South East SA: Elsie Adamo)<\/p>\n<\/p>\n