REDUCING SINGLE USE PLASTICS IN NEW SOUTH WALES: You spoke - will they listen?

The NSW government released a discussion paper Cleaning Up Our Act: Redirecting the Future Plastics in NSW on 8 March 2020. The paper sought public views on what action NSW should be taking to address plastic pollution in the State. Submissions closed on 8 May 2020.

Boomerang’s Director, Jeff Angel attended the National Plastic Summit recently and reports some momentum on action was evident, but current commitments are unlikely to be enough. Read about the 5 core actions we advocated and the updates on our other campaigns. Enjoy our latest newsletter!

Boomerang Alliance is running two new trial programs of our Plastic Free Places (PFP) program in Victoria! Would your council like to join?

Alongside Glen Eira Council, Elsternwick (Melbourne) was the first community to get on board, with Mt Martha (Mornington Peninsular) a close second. We’re working with the council and 18 local businesses in each community to assist them to switch away from single-use plastic items, addressing barriers that prevent many businesses from successfully switching. Participating businesses are aiming to eliminate single-use plastics such as coffee cups and lids, cutlery, straws and takeaway containers during the six-month trials. The success of the trials could lead to larger programs.

As part of PFP, we spent a week in each community to assist business owners and managers better understand how to transition away from single-use plastics.

A recent follow up, just six weeks into the trials, have shown that businesses are already making significant changes, with several working to remove key problem items. Not only are we seeing a switch to compostable alternatives, which are much less harmful in the environment, but many participants are now encouraging their customers to reduce their use of disposables and to participate in reusable systems like ‘swap and go’ cup and container network system Returnr.  The businesses have been putting up fun signage  showing the community how to get involved in reducing waste. One business is even making the next step to compost their food waste and compostable packaging.

They are all also bound by the plastic bag ban which came into force on Nov 1 last year, but many elected to switch to paper bags rather than simply swapping to thicker plastic bags.

It’s still early days in the trials, with many businesses still working though old stock before making the switch, but the indications are that the plastic savings will increase as businesses embrace the project.

Boomerang Alliance will continue to support them through the changes.

For more information:

www.plasticfreeplaces.org

www.gleneira.vic.gov.au/plasticfreetrial

On Saturday 14th December 2019. Hon. David Speirs MP, Minister for Environment and Water, launched the Plastic Free SA project.

At the launch, South Australia’s first 'Plastic Free Champion' Brick + Mortar Creative, was identified using the Boomerang Alliance's Plastic Free Places guidelines. On hand with the Minister was Boomerang Alliance Director, Jeff Angel, Taryn Hansen, Plastic Free SA Coordinator and Elizabeth Donaldson, Brick + Mortar Creative Director.

Plastic Free Champions are those cafes who have eliminated plastic coffee cups/lids, straws, foodware (cutlery, cups etc), takeaway containers, thick plastic bags and plastic water bottles. They provide reusable foodware instead, and where they can’t, 100% certified compostable packaging.

The Minister also took the opportunity to release the draft Single-use and Other Plastic Products (Waste Avoidance) Bill 2019 for public comment. This proposes a ban on plastic straws, stirrers and cutlery and certain other single use plastics in South Australia. Comments are sought by 7 February 2020.

https://www.greenindustries.sa.gov.au/plastics

Download the media release from Hon David Speirs MP, Minister for Environment and Water

We welcome the announcement today (November 7, 2019) by the Queensland Government on a new Plastic Pollution Reduction Plan, which includes legislation next year (subject to consultation) to ban the supply of plastic products including plastic straws, cutlery, plates and stirrers, possibly extending to include coffee cups, plastic cups and heavy-weight shopping bags. The plan also includes further investment on plastic recovery and recycling.

Our Plastic Free Places Program features in the plan, with the Government proposing to partner with us to expand the program to further communities across Queensland, and to promote and deliver it nationally based on knowledge and experience gained in our pilot community Plastic Free Noosa.

This announcement comes ahead of the national Meeting of Environment Ministers (MEM) taking place on November 8 in Adelaide. Plastic reduction will be a hot topic on the agenda, with both South Australia and Queensland preparing legislation on single-use plastic take-aways. We hope other jurisdictions will follow suit!

Click here to access the full plan. 

Our official Media Release can be found here.

Queensland Steps Up on Phase-out of Single-Use Plastics

The Boomerang Alliance today welcomed the Queensland Government’s Plastic Pollution Reduction Strategy which includes a proposed ban on  single-use takeaway plastics. These are the takeaway plastic items commonly found littered in Queensland, including plastic straws, stirrers, plates, cutlery, coffee cups and heavyweight plastic bags.

‘Queensland, once one of the most littered states in Australia and is acting with determination to address its plastic pollution problems, building on the plastic bag ban and popular container deposit scheme.’  said Toby Hutcheon, QLD Manager of the Boomerang Alliance, which represents 49 community organisations concerned with waste and plastic pollution.

‘Now Queensland and South Australia are preparing legislation on single-use plastic take-aways -  we encourage other jurisdictions to follow suit,’

‘With the national Meeting of Environment Ministers (MEM) taking place tomorrow (8 November) in Adelaide - there is a perfect opportunity for a joint attack on plastic pollution.’

The Queensland Government intends to introduce enabling legislation in 2020 (subject to a regulatory impact statement) to ban the supply of straws, stirrers, plates and cutlery and, following further analysis, coffee and other cups and heavyweight plastic bags.

‘Boomerang Alliance is calling on the government to ensure that the proposed ban on all these identified products is enacted in the next 12 months to avoid more plastic waste and more littering of the environment.’

‘Our Plastic Free Places program which helps cafes, markets, events and festivals transition to the preferred  reusable or 100% compostable alternatives is proof these products are readily available and acceptable to consumers and business,’ said Hutcheon.

Queensland Government research shows that 7 out of 10 Queenslanders are taking steps to reduce their plastic use when away from home.

‘The public dislike excessive plastic packaging and plastic litter. They are looking for solutions. This Queensland Government ban, supported by the food and hospitality sector, will make the difference the public are looking for.’

‘Single-use takeaway plastic items are the second most common litter type after cigarette butts. The latest Clean Up Australia Rubbish report for Queensland found that 36% of  litter collected was takeaway packaging.

The Plastic Free Places program,  with funding support from the Queensland Government, is demonstrating that the hospitality sector wants to do the right thing and be part of the solution to plastic waste and litter.

The Plastic Free Noosa project, one of five current projects operating in Australia, has over 200 member businesses and has eliminated or replaced over 3 million single use plastic items. This includes over 1 million straws, 280,000 coffee cups, over 750,000 containers and cups and 260,000 pieces of plastic cutlery. All this in one place in under 18 months.

The Plastic Free Places program will be expanded into Townsville and Cairns in 2020.

The Boomerang Alliance, in partnership with the Australian Packaging Covenant Organisation (APCO) plans to expand the program across Australia and make it accessible to all interested communities.

The Great Barrier Reef is not only one of the wonders of the natural world, it supports 64,000 jobs in Queensland. But that natural wonder is under serious threat, not just from climate change, but also from plastic pollution.

Australia's environment ministers will be meeting in early November to agree on an action plan and Boomerang Alliance sent a letter of recommendations to the ministers.

The Boomerang Alliance has released a comprehensive  guide (The Boomerang Alliance Plastic Free Council Event Guide) to provide councils with advice on how to reduce plastic use as part of tackling plastic pollution.

The guide is also available to any event organisers who wish to adopt plastic-free policies.

The Guide is based on practical experience and intended to assist councils to adopt policies to manage single-use plastic phase-outs from their events. Or, for councils who have already adopted plastic free event policies, additional ideas to go further.  It is endorsed by the Queensland Local Government Association and Minister for Environment.                                                                        

'Plastic coffee cups/lids, straws, bags, cups and food containers,  cutlery and water bottles are routinely used at public events and are also amongst the most common litter items,' said Toby Hutcheon, QLD Manager of the Boomerang Alliance.

'Events are controlled spaces so by eliminating the use of these single use plastics in favour of reusable or 100% compostable items, events can reduce their plastic footprint and slash their plastic waste.'

'Eliminating the use of these plastic products is an important way to achieve less litter to waterways and the ocean, less wasted resources and reductions in fossil fuel use.'

The Boomerang Alliance's successful Plastic Free Places (Noosa) Project, funded by the Queensland State Government, Tourism Noosa and Noosa Council has shown what a difference going plastic-free can make. In the last 12 months, the project has eliminated over 3 million single-use plastic items in cafes and at events.

Major events, such as the Noosa Triathlon 2018 removed 180,000 plastic cups from use. The Noosa Food and Wine Festival 2019 went plastic-free and sent 1.3 tonnes of discarded food and food ware to a commercial composter, and not to landfill.

'With the National Waste Policy establishing targets for all packaging to be reusable, compostable or recyclable by 2025, and the Australian Packaging Covenant Organisation (APCO) seeking to have 70% of all packaging either composted or recycled by 2025, the time is right for events to demonstrate that packaging and other event items, can be reused or composted rather than  landfilled,' said Hutcheon.

'We are grateful for the assistance of Noosa businesses, community and Council and the support of the LGAQ and Queensland Government in developing the program.'

Key Features promoted for a Plastic Free Event:

• Events are promoted as plastic free to build public awareness
• All vendors provide only reusable or 100% compostable food ware
• Events utilise a refillable cup system at bars and drink outlets
• No helium balloon releases are allowed at the event
• Event organisers are encouraged to provide water refill stations to limit plastic water bottles
• Discarded wastes are collected so they can be recycled or composted rather than landfilled
• Organisers take a continuous improvement approach to reducing plastic wastes. What they can’t do this time, they will arrange next time

The guide and support information on plastic free events is available on the  Boomerang Alliance website: www.plasticfreeplaces.org

Surely the obvious solution for councils if they want to reduce the amount of rubbish collection is Container Deposit Scheme? Boomerang Alliance campaigner in Victoria, Dr Annett Finger spoke with Nick McCallum on 3AW Drive