South Australia Bans Iconic Plastic Soy Sauce Dispensers

On September 1, 2025, South Australia will implement a new law banning the use of single-use plastic packaging, including the iconic fish-shaped soy sauce dispensers known as "shoyu-tai". These containers, first invented in 1954 by Teruo Watanabe, the founder of Osaka-based company Asahi Sogyo, have been a familiar sight at takeaway sushi shops around the world for decades.

The South Australian government, led by Environment Minister Dr. Susan Close, believes these small plastic containers are a significant contributor to plastic pollution. "They're a 'convenience packaging' item that can be replaced with bulk or refillable condiment solutions or more manageable alternatives, meaning their elimination directly reduces the volume of single-use plastic entering the waste stream," Close stated.

Marine ecologists, such as Dr. Nina Wootton from the University of Adelaide, have also raised concerns about the impact of these plastic fish on marine life. "If it hasn't already been broken down into microplastics yet and it's floating around in its whole form, then other organisms that eat fish that size could think it is a fish and then eat it," Wootton explained. The thick plastic material also takes a long time to degrade, further exacerbating the problem.

While the ban on these iconic soy sauce dispensers is a step in the right direction, environmental advocates like Cip Hamilton from the Australian Marine Conservation Society believe more needs to be done to address the broader issue of plastic pollution. "Bans like these are an important small step towards reducing plastic pollution but it's important that governments start to look at reducing and removing problematic plastics across the whole system," Hamilton said.