Noosa Council and community organisations join forces to reduce plastic waste

The State Government is set to introduce both a ban on single-use plastic bags and a container refund scheme in July 2018. Concerns about plastic waste have also been amplified following the ABC TV series War on Waste. 

Now Noosa Council has added its support to a community initiative to make Noosa plastic free. 
 
The Plastic Free Noosa Alliance’s aim is to reduce the Noosa community's use of disposable, single use plastics items such as coffee cups and lids, straws, takeaway containers, food ware and plastic water bottles.
 
The initiative will engage with the retail and hospitality sector, as well as market, festival and event organisers. Plastic Free Noosa aims to encourage the take-up of reusable containers and packaging. Where this is impractical, a switch to commercially compostable alternatives may be possible.
 
"Noosa Council has a long and proud history of environmental activism,” Mayor Tony Wellington said. 

“So this is a logical step forward. We know there is strong support in the community for this sort of initiative. I’m sure we all want to reduce the amount of litter and plastic that ends up in our waterways and ultimately in the ocean.”
 
Councillor Joe Jurisevic added: “By encouraging local business and event organisers to make changes, as well as instituting simple behavioural shifts by residents and visitors, Noosa can lead by example. The result will not only be a cleaner Noosa but also result in less plastic waste going into our landfill."
 
"We welcome the involvement of the Council in the Plastic Free Noosa Plan,” said Toby Hutcheon of the Boomerang Alliance (and on behalf of the community organisations involved).
 
"Globally, 95% of all plastic packaging is used once and then thrown away as waste to end up in landfill or in the broader environment.
 
"As a community we urgently need to reduce our plastic footprint, particularly as the seas off the Queensland coastline are identified as a plastic hotspot by the CSIRO.
 
"If we don't act now, we face a future where there will be more plastic in the ocean than fish."
 
The Plastic Free Noosa Alliance includes: The Boomerang Alliance, Noosa Community Biosphere Association Inc, Boomerang Bags, Surfrider Sunshine Coast, Sunshine Coast Environment Council, ZEN Waste and Sunshine Coast Environment Educators’ Alliance. Tourism Noosa and Chamber of Commerce and Industry Queensland Noosa have also indicated their support.

For more information about the Plastic Free Noosa initiative and joining the campaign visit the website or phone 0422 990 372.

26 July 2017