Adelaide: The iconic fish-shaped soy sauce container, a familiar sight in takeaway sushi shops worldwide, is about to disappear from South Australia.
From 1 September, the state will become the first jurisdiction in the world to ban the plastic dispensers under its latest single-use plastics legislation. Known in Japan as shoyu-tai or soy-sauce snapper, the tiny polyethylene containers were invented in 1954 by Osaka entrepreneur Teruo Watanabe, founder of Asahi Sogyo.
Originally marketed as the ‘Lunch Charm,’ the novelty packaging quickly spread from Japan to sushi shops worldwide. It is estimated that billions of small containers have been produced since their debut.
South Australia’s law prohibits pre-filled soy sauce containers with a lid, cap or stopper holding less than 30 millilitres. While plastic sachets will remain permitted, officials hope sushi outlets will instead shift to bulk bottles or refillable dispensers.
South Australia’s Environment Minister, Dr Susan Close, said the ban targets convenience packaging items that are used for seconds but persist in the environment for decades.
“Their small size means they’re easily dropped, blown away, or washed into drains, making them a frequent component of beach and street litter,” Close said. “Replacing them with bulk or refillable condiment solutions directly reduces the amount of single-use plastic entering the waste stream,” She added.
The new rules also cover other single-use items such as plastic cutlery and expanded polystyrene food packaging, including containers used for instant noodle bowls. Marine scientists have long warned that the miniature fish-shaped bottles pose risks to sea life.
Dr Nina Wootton, marine ecologist at the University of Adelaide, said the containers can be mistaken for prey. “If it hasn’t already degraded into microplastics and is floating in whole form, organisms that feed on small fish could think it’s food and ingest it,” she said. Environmental advocates welcomed the ban but argued it should be just the beginning of wider reforms.
