An overview of the Environmental Protection (Single-use Plastic Products) (Wales) Act 2023, it's passage through the Senedd and subordinate legislation.
Contents
Overview
The Environmental Protection (Single-use Plastic Products) (Wales) Act 2023 (‘the Act’) makes it a criminal offence to supply or offer to supply (including for free) specific single-use plastic products to consumers in Wales. The Act will stop the sale or supply of these products in Wales unless there is an exemption.
The following commonly littered and unnecessary disposable single-use plastic products will be banned for consumers in Wales:
- plates
- cutlery
- drinks stirrers
- drinking straws (including attached straws)
- cups made of polystyrene
- takeaway food containers made of polystyrene
- cup and takeaway food container lids made of polystyrene
- plastic-stemmed cotton buds
- sticks for balloons
- oxo-degradable products
- plastic single-use carrier bags
The bans will be introduced in “phases”. This is to allow businesses time to use up existing stock and to buy or make alternatives.
The Senedd produced a Bill Summary, which provides a further useful overview of the Act.
The Explanatory Notes to the Act also provide detailed commentary on the various provisions:
Read the full Act:
Coming into force
Sections 3, 4, 17, 21, 22 and 23 of the Act came into force on 7 June 2023, which is the day after it received Royal Assent, in accordance with section 22(1).
The remaining provisions come into force when the Welsh Ministers make one or more commencement orders, in accordance with section 22(2) of the Act.
The following order has been made:
Subordinate legislation made under the Act
| Title | Citation number | Made date | Coming into force date | Supporting documents |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| The Environmental Protection (Single-use Plastic Products) (Wet Wipes) (Wales) Regulations 2025 on legislation.gov.uk | 2025 No. 716 (W. 124) | 18 June 2025 | 18 December 2026 | 2025 No. 716 (W. 124): Explanatory Memorandum on legislation.gov.uk |
| The Environmental Protection (Single-use Plastic Products) (Civil Sanctions) (Wales) Regulations 2023 on legislation.gov.uk | 2023 No. 1288 (W. 226) | 29 November 2023 | 1 December 2023 | 2023 No. 1288 (W. 226) : Explanatory Memorandum on legislation.gov.uk |
Consideration of the legislation by the Senedd
The Bill was introduced by Julie James MS, Minister for Climate Change on 20 September 2022 and passed by Senedd Cymru on 6 December 2022.
More information about the Act and it's passage of the Bill through the Senedd on senedd.wales.
The Explanatory Memorandum which was prepared by the Welsh Government (on introduction of the Bill):