In the five years since its inception, the Plastic Free Places (PFP) program, run by the Boomerang Alliance, has eliminated, or removed over 12.5 million single use takeaway plastic items from use. That includes plastic straws, cutlery, coffee cups, lids, water bottles and plastic containers.

Interested food outlets are inducted into the PFP network and shown how to avoid, reuse or switch to non-plastic or certified compostable packaging (Aust Standards). There are over 900 food businesses now participating.

The program has been an astounding success and shows that given the right advice and support the hospitality sector can easily switch away from using problematic takeaway plastics.

It demonstrates that the bans being introduced on these products throughout Australia are realistic and achievable, as long as the hospitality sector is given the opportunity to switch, and misleading information (greenwash) is not circulated.

By reducing single use plastic, we reduce the flow of dangerous plastic pollution into our waterways and ocean, and waste into landfill. The program aligns environment protection that consumers and businesses want with acceptable alternative products and practices like avoidance and reuse; and the increasing moves to ban single use plastic items.

The PFP program employs an expert coordinator in each location to work directly with cafes, other food outlets and public events to provide best practice advice on packaging alternatives.

Plastic Free Place locations

Data has been taken from 12 Plastic Free Places including Noosa, Cairns & Douglas, Townsville, Rockhampton, and Livingstone (QLD) Byron Shire, Randwick (NSW), Mt Martha, Elsternwick, Moreland (Vic), Adelaide & Port Lincoln (SA), Perth (WA). Our Darwin (NT) and Hobart surrounds (Tas) programs have only recently launched, so their data is not yet included.

Background Information about Plastic Free Places: www.plasticfreeplaces.org

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The next State to introduce a single use plastics phase out is Victoria, scheduled for February 2023.

National plastic reduction, recycling, and reuse targets for 2025 will not be met unless the next Commonwealth Government acts to ensure their delivery.