From 1st September 2025, South Australia will make history as the first state to ban the iconic soy sauce fish bottles. While they might look harmless and cute, these small plastic containers are a big problem when it comes to plastic waste and pollution.

Why Ban the Soy Sauce Fish Bottles?

At first glance, the bottles seem convenient, a splash of soy sauce for your sushi. But here’s why they’ve become an environmental headache:

• Too Small to Recycle: Recycling machines cannot process small plastic items, so they slip through the system.
• Single-Use: They’re used for a mere few seconds before being binned or lazily littered on the ground.
• Pollution Risk: Many don’t make it to landfill. Instead, they end up in our oceans where they pose a threat to marine life.

All this for a single serve of sauce.

A Leader in Cutting Down Single-Use Plastics

South Australia has long led the way in sustainable packaging and waste reduction. This ban is just the latest in a series of actions, following the phase-out of:

• Plastic straws
• Plastic cutlery attached to food or drinks
• Plastic produce stickers

It’s also worth remembering SA was the first state in Australia to introduce a container deposit scheme for bottles and cans, and to phase out lightweight plastic shopping bags. Now, with soy sauce fish bottles off the table, SA is once again setting the example for other states to follow.

What This Means for Businesses and Consumers

For sushi shops and food retailers, the ban means rethinking packaging. Alternatives like bulk dispensers, paper sachets, or reusable containers will become the norm. And for consumers, it’s a small adjustment that can make a big difference. It’s a reminder that convenience shouldn’t come at the cost of our planet.

A Step Towards a Low-Waste Future

Banning the soy sauce fish bottles might seem minor, but every piece of plastic kept out of landfill and our oceans counts. This is another step towards a low-waste future, one where everyday choices support a healthier planet.

What do you think, should more states follow SA’s lead and ban single-use plastics like this?