‘Atleast8milliontonnesofplasticleakintotheoceaneveryyear.By2025theoceanswillcontainonetonneofplasticforeverythreetonnesoffishandby2050moreplasticthanfish’

JointEMFoundation/WorldEconomicForumReportDavos2016

CommunitiesTakingControl(ofplasticpackaging)

APlasticFree*NoosaCommunityPlan*AsIdentifiedinResponsiblePlasticLivingKit(Noosa)

Introduction

Globally95%ofallplasticpackagingisusedonceandthenwasted,oftenaslitter.Inits2014MarineDebrisreportinAustralia,theCSIROstatedthat,‘twothirdsofthemarinedebrisfoundalongourcoastlineisplastic,mostfromlocalsources.’

TheNationalLitterIndex(2015)hascitedQueenslandasthemostlitteredstateinAustralia.

TheCSIROhasidentifiedSEQasamarineplasticdebrishotspot.

QueenslandisChanging

In2017boththeStateGovernmentandtheQueenslandLNPtooksignificantstepstowardsaddressingQueenslandlitterandplasticpollutionproblems.BothhavepubliclybackedabanonlightweightplasticbagsandacashforcontainerschemeinQueensland,startingin2018.Thesearerecognisedasthefirststepsinaddressingplasticpollutionofourenvironment.

Thesemeasureswilldramaticallyreduceplasticlitterandacttobuildcommunityawarenessaboutthedangersofplasticlitter.Thenextstepistoaddressthemanyotherformsofdisposableplastics.

Thefactisthatplasticlitterintheenvironmentisaneyesore,apollutant,athreattowildlifeand,accordingtorecentreports,apotentialthreattohumanhealth

Let’sMakeaDifference

Manyindividuals,governmentsandbusinesseshavebecomeawareoftheplasticpollutionproblemandarechanginghabitsandpractices.However,whatwelackisawholecommunitytakingasystematicapproachtoaddressingdisposableplasticpackaginglitter/use,andshowingothershowthiscouldbeavoidedandresolved.

WhyNoosashouldbethatCommunity?

Noosaisanenvironmentally-awareawarecommunity.Itspoliticalandcommunityleaders,Council,localbusinessesandcommunityhaveallsupportedeffortsandactedtoreducetheirplasticpackagingfootprint.Noosaistheperfectplacetobecomeaplastic-free*community,protectitsenvironment,enhanceitsreputationasaresponsibleandactiveenvironmentally-friendlycommunityandshowothershowthiscanbeachieved.

TheCommunityPlanBoomerangAllianceproposesacommunityplanaimedatreducingtheuseofidentifiedsingleuseplasticpackaginginNoosaby50%byJuly2018.Aprincipalmeasureofthecampaignwillbethenumberofcafes,markets,eventsandindividualswhohavejoinedtheplanandchangedtheirplastichabits.

ThiswillinvolveNoosaCouncil,localbusinesses(specificallyhospitality/retailers),localmedia,communityorganisationsandschools,eventorganisersandactiveindividuals.

Theplanwilltargettheuseofidentifiedsingleuse,disposableplasticitems*,oftenasignificantpartofthelitterstream.Thiswouldincludeplasticfoodware,plasticstrawsandwaterbottles,plasticcoffeecups/lids,takeawaycontainersandevenbaitbags.*AsIdentifiedinResponsiblePlasticLivingKit(Noosa)

Inthefirstyear,wewant:

• thehospitality/retailsectortoagreetosupplypreferredproducts(alternativetosingleuseplastics)tothepublic,

• schoolsandeventorganiserstoholdplastic-freeeventsand• individualstotakeuptheplasticfreechallenge.

Allparticipantswillbeadvocatesandambassadorsfortheplasticfreeplan,explainingthepurposeandoutcomesandinspiringbothlocalsandvisitorstofollowsuit.

Council,representativeandcommunityorganisationswillbethefacilitatorsandpromotersoftheplasticfreeplan.Localmediaparticipatingwillbemediapartners,promotingtheNoosaPlasticFreePlanandfeaturingplayersandactivitiesinregulararticles.

Withaplasticbagbanexpectedin2018,thecampaignwillalsotargetplasticbagstohavethemremovedfromcirculation,aheadofaban.Theintroductionofacashforcontainersscheme(July2018)willgiveanopportunityforcommunityorganisations,schoolsandbusinessinNoosatosetupcollectionservicesforcansandbottles.

OurProposalsinBrief

• AcommunityinitiativeinvolvingCouncil,localbusinesses(specificallyretailandhospitality),keyagencies,marketsandfestivals,localmediaandcommunityorganisations.

• Focusedonpromotingandadoptingbetterpracticesandalternativeproductstotheuseofdisposable,non-biodegradableplasticitems,oftenfoundinlitterandlandfill.*

• Theprojectwillconcentrateonadoptingbetterpracticesinthehospitalitysector,makingfestivals,markets,fetesandeventsplasticfree*andencouragingindividualstoreducetheirownplasticfootprintbychangingbehaviourandchoices.

• Theinitialpilotprojectwouldrunforoneyear(ideallywithapromotedstartinJuly2017),withtheoptionofbeingextendedasalongerterminitiativethatsupportsaplasticfreeagendaandNoosaCouncilswastereductiongoals

• Promotionalcollateralwillincludeshopsignageanddisplay,presscoverage,advertisingandevents,newslettersandcommunitynotices,newguidelinesforevents,promotionatstrategicevents,stalls,wordofmouth.Awebsitewithadomainname,plasticfreenoosa.com.auhasbeensecured.

• Itssuccesswillbemeasuredbytheamountofidentifiedplasticitemsremovedfromuse(auditofparticipants’procurement/auditofwastesreceived)inNoosa,andthenumberoflocalbusinesses/agenciesandindividualswhosignupaspartnersintheproject.

• Areportontheprojectwillbeproducedtooutlineitsoutcomes.Thiswillincludeadviceonwhatcouldnotbeachievedandrecommendationsonpotentialnextsteps.Itwillcontributeasaguideforotherswithadviceforstakeholdersonfuturedirections.(Pleasenote:BAisalsoundertakingasimilarprojectinWollongong,NSW)

*Plasticfreereferstoalistofdisposableplasticitemstobetargetedonly.Thisincludescoffeecups/lids,straws,takeawaycontainers,utensils,single-usewaterbottles,plasticbagsandutensils.

WhoisInvolved?

Agenciesandorganisationswhohavealreadyexpressedsupportandinterestinparticipationinclude:NoosaCouncil,NoosaBiosphereReserveFoundation,BoomerangAlliance,NoosaCommunityBiosphereAssociationInc.,TourismNoosa,BoomerangBags,SurfriderSunshineCoast,SunshineCoastEnvironmentCouncil,UniversityofSunshineCoast,ZENWaste,NoosaChamberofCommerce,Coastcare,SunshineCoastEnvironmentEducators’Alliance.Otherorganisationswillbeaddedastheplanprogresses.

Appendix

ProposedPartnerRolesandResponsibilitiesCouncils-supportlocalbusinesswhostopuseofsingleuseplasticbags(fromJuly2017-astate-widebanwillbeimplementedinJuly2018),promotePFNPprogram,adjustanyregulationstosupportbusiness/communityorganisationchangestopractice,reviewcollectionservicesandauditonplasticreductionsatlandfill,providefundingforprogram.Assistwithcoordinationofplan.

ChamberofCommerce/TraderAssociations-promotetheprogramtomembers.Supplydataonreduceddisposableplasticspurchasedbybusiness.Assistwithcoordinationofplan.

LocalAgencies(ie.NBCA/Noosatourism/USC)-promoteprogram,advise,setrules/guidelinesforstakeholders,playroleindelivery.Assistwithcoordination.

Hospitality/cafébusinesses-participateinprogrambyadoptingnewpracticesandbeingpromoters/educatorstotheircustomers,assistwithfundingforprogram.

Localplasticfree/environmentandcommunityorganisations-adoptplasticfreearrangementsforanyevents.Promoteplastic-freelivingkitsandpractices.Coordinationoftheplan.

Surfshops/surfschools-promotetheprogramtotheircustomersandchangeanyrelevantpractices.

Schools/educationfacilitiesinarea-plasticfreeevents,educatepupilsandparentsonreducingplasticsinschoolandpromoteplasticfreeliving.

LocalFestivals/markets-promotetheprogramandarrangeforonlycompostablefoodwareandreusableplasticcupsatvenue.

Local/regionalmedia-promoteplan,regularfeaturesonplayersandactivities.

BoomerangAlliance-willplayacoordinatingroleengagingwithallpartners,keepingtheprogramontrackandassistingwithadviceasrequired.Wewantlocalownershipsoexpectthatparticipantswillberunningmostofactivitiesandengagement.AsmuchaspossibleBAwillparticipateinfacetofaceactivitiesbuthavelimitedresources.

Individuals-UseResponsiblePlasticLivingKitsandinformothersonhowtoreduceplasticfootprintandavoididentifieddisposableplastics.

DraftResponsiblePlasticGuide(Noosa)

ThePlasticFreeNoosaPlanhasidentified6disposableplasticitemswhichareregularlydiscardedaslitterorwaste.Theselitteredorwasteditemscanbeaddressedthroughchangedpracticesandtheuseofreadilyavailablealternatives.Mostofthesealternativesarepricecomparablewithcurrentlyusedproducts.

Polystyrenecupsandcontainersofanykindshouldbeavoidedandeliminatedfromuse.Theyareharmfulintheenvironmentandneverlikelytoberecycled.Betteralternativesexistfortheseproducts

Item

BestOption–Reusable AlternativeOptions(preferablywithcollectionandprocessingservices)andPlasticwaterbottle BYO/reusablewaterbottle Recycle.Plasticbottleswillhavea10centrefundonreturnafterJuly2018

Coffeecup/lid UsecafécrockerycupProvideareturncoffeecupserviceEncouragecustomerstobringBYOreusablecup/lid(withdiscount)

Cup(canincludeliner)andlid,certifiedcommercialcompoststandard(AS4736)

Cupthatmeetshomecompostingstandard(AS5810)preferredbutmaynotbereadilyavailable

Polystyrenecups,foodware,containers

Neveruse Providebiodegradablecontainers(AS5810)homecompoststandardonly

Non-biodegradableplasticpackaging(plastictakeawaycontainers)

Don’tuse/provideandsupportreturnserviceforcustomers

Providebiodegradablecontainers(AS5810)homecompoststandardonly

Plasticstraw Don’tuseorBYOreusablestraws

Ifabsolutelyrequired,providewaxedpaperstraws

Plasticfoodware(plate,knife,fork,spoon,chopsticks)

Usereusableplatesandutensils Providewooden/plant-basedor100%compostableplatesandutensils(AS4736)

Foodwarethatisplant-basedormeetshomecompostingstandard(AS5810)ispreferredbutmaynotbereadilyavailable

Plasticbags Don’tuse/customersbringBYObags(Note:LightweightbagswillbebannedinQLDfromJuly2018)

Provide/sellBYObagsforcustomers

NoteonTakeawayPractices

Thebestoptionisalwaystousereusableplates,utensilsandcontainersandisalwaysapreferencetosingleuseitems.Ifsingleuseproductsareused,thepreferenceisfororganic/plant-basedorcertifiedcompostableproducts.Inmostcases,neitherrecyclableorcompostableproductsarecurrentlycollectedinawayfromhomesituations,andendupinlandfill.Inthisevent,thecompostableproductswillatleastdegrade.

OneoutcomethePlasticFreeNoosaPlanwillidentifyistheurgentneedforbettercollectionservicesandcommercialcompostingfacilitiesintheregionfortheseproducts.