Single use plastics make up a third of our litter, they are cheap to produce but costly to clean and difficult to recycle. They are often used for only a few minutes but remain in the environment for a long time, breaking into microplastics which harm wildlife and contaminate our food and water. Promisingly, individual states in Australia have announced plans to phase out single use plastics such as plastic straws, cutlery, plates, drink stirrers, and polystyrene food containers. However included plastics vary, and many schemes do not start until 2023. Tasmania and the Northern Territory have not announced any plans. There is a national plan to achieve this but not until 2025, and as a voluntary target. The national plan should be strengthened - the date brought forward to 2023 at the latest, more problematic single use plastics included, and made mandatory across all states and territories.