South Australia will become the first place in the world to ban fish-shaped plastic soy sauce dispensers, commonly known as shoyu-tai, as part of a wider ban on single-use plastics coming into force on 1 September.
The small polyethylene containers, invented in Japan in 1954 by Teruo Watanabe, have been a staple at takeaway sushi shops globally for decades. Under the new law, only pre-filled containers with a lid, cap or stopper and containing less than 30ml of soy sauce will be prohibited. Plastic sachets remain allowed, but the government hopes bulk dispensers will replace the single-use fish.
South Australian environment minister Dr Susan Close said the tiny fish-shaped packages are used for just seconds but are easily littered, often ending up in drains and on beaches. 'They're a convenience packaging item that can be replaced with bulk or refillable condiment solutions, directly reducing the volume of single-use plastic entering the waste stream,' she said.
The ban also covers plastic cutlery and expanded polystyrene food packaging, such as pre-packed instant noodle bowls. Dr Nina Wootton, a marine ecologist at the University of Adelaide, warned that the plastic fish can be mistaken for food by marine life, breaking down slowly into microplastics.
Cip Hamilton from the Australian Marine Conservation Society welcomed the ban but urged stronger action: 'Bans like these are an important small step, but governments need to introduce laws that reduce plastic production and hold businesses accountable.'
