Warrnambool activists and environmentalists have celebrated an announcement by the Victorian State Government late last week to ban single use plastics, including plastic-stemmed cotton buds, by 2023.

Spokesperson Colleen Hughson from the Better Buds campaign hopes that the government's announcement sets a precedent for other states and territories.

“With so many sustainable and biodegradable alternatives available on the shelves today, there is simply no place for plastic-stemmed cotton buds.”

“We encourage other states to follow Victoria’s lead and help us get plastic-stemmed cotton buds off Australian shelves, and off Australian beaches,”

Local volunteers have spent thousands of hours patrolling beaches, collecting the fragments of plastic that litter the sand and cause harm to marine life.

“Having collected over 23,000 cotton buds from Warrnambool beaches, along with thousands of other plastics, we have seen first-hand the damage this unnecessary plastic can do, and we congratulate the Victorian Government on
taking this important step towards protecting our beaches and marine life,” Ms Hughson said.

The Better Buds campaign has had significant support from local government, politicians, retailers, businesses, and the community.