"We know that plastics have a huge impact on our environment, but we’ll work through a process to make sure we have a comprehensive plastics strategy for NSW." While the NSW plan would need cabinet approval, it is understood opposition to banning single-use shopping bags has diminished after the exit of a senior adviser who had stymied efforts by three previous Coalition environment ministers to restrict plastics. Energy and Environment Minister Matt Kean has his sights on tackling NSW's plastic waste problems. Credit:Louise Kennerley The NSW Environment Protection Authority prepared the regulations for a phase-out of thin plastic bags only for then Premier Mike Baird to declare a "ban on bans" in late 2016 after his humiliating backdown over his failed attempt to abolish the greyhound racing industry. The former Liberal MP for Coogee, Bruce Notley-Smith, had also pushed for a plastic bag ban, which was seen as being a popular policy in his marginal seat. Mr Notley-Smith lost his seat to Labor in the March election.

The three previous environment ministers, Gabrielle Upton, Mark Speakman and Rob Stokes, had also supported curbs on plastics. Loading The supermarket industry has shown it can phase out shopping bags with minimal disruption to consumers while avoiding huge amount of waste. Coles alone said it has avoided 1.7 billion lightweight single-use plastic bags ending up in landfill since removing them from checkouts a year ago. People buying alternative multi-use bags had generated $2.5 million for charities during the period. Rival Woolworths said it has issued about 3 billion fewer plastic bags over the past year, avoiding 4700 tonnes of single-use plastic entering the environment. Sales of its multi-use bags had provided grants for more than 500 schools and early-learning centres, the company said.

Single-use plastic bags of certain thicknesses have been banned in Queensland, Western Australia, South Australia, Tasmania, ACT and the NT, with Victoria set to follow in November. It is understood Mr Kean suggested supporting a private member's bill put forward by Labor's environment spokeswoman Penny Sharpe but was told to come back with something better. For their part, big retailers are supportive of broad-based restrictions to avoid being left at a competitive disadvantage by smaller outlets that would baulk at voluntary curbs. “It’s something that we’ll take very seriously," Mr Kean said. "We’re going to work through our process to make sure we do what’s right for our environment and what’s right for our community." Independent MP Justin Field said there was scope for Mr Kean to be ambitious in moving against other forms of plastic waste, such as cutlery or drinking straws.

"The community have long moved on from just banning the bag - they want a plan to get rid of all single-use plastics and move to a circular economy," he said. Loading "NSW has fallen behind other states," said Jeff Angel, an executive director of the Boomerang Alliance. "It's really embarrassing." The restrictions introduced so far - including the voluntary national moves by big retailers - had prevented "trillions of pieces of micro-plastics" from entering the environment as the plastics break up, he said. Mr Angel said his group had met Mr Kean and staffers and "was impressed by their interest" in plastic restrictions.