Low waste parenting
Having children can bring a lot a joy – but also a lot of waste. You don’t have to let the arrival of your 'mini me' result in extra landfill. Here’s how you can be an impact-savvy parent.
Posted on: June 4, 2024
Western Australia’s nation-leading Plan for Plastics is now in its third year.
GREAT Sorts have embraced the changes with enthusiasm, with almost 90% per cent of Western Australians surveyed said they supported action on single-use plastics. The plan includes regulations to ban single-use plastic items in a two-stage approach.
So far, the Plan for Plastics has seen items like single-use plastic straws, cutlery, bowls and plates, cotton buds with plastic shafts and microbeads taken out of circulation, with bans on produce bags and takeaway containers to come later in the year.
The most recent changes that came in to force in March banned not just non-compostable coffee cups, but also disposable plastic and plastic-lined cup lids for all hot and cold beverage cups.
Support for change
The transition has been supported since the beginning with targeted community education, retail and supplier engagement with the State Government partnering with the Boomerang Alliance, a not-for-profit organisation, to deliver a Plastic Free Places program.
The program engages with businesses, organisations and community groups within the food and hospitality sector to provide support and advice on avoiding single-use plastics and switching from single-use plastics to better alternatives.
Be inspired
Our cafes and other retailers have effectively demonstrated how easy it is to adapt with these bans and support a more sustainable WA.
Find out how Hank's Corner created a community around reusables.
This article on single-use plastics also featured in The West Australian’s Environment Day liftout on 5 June 2024, that can be viewed here on page 5.
Having children can bring a lot a joy – but also a lot of waste. You don’t have to let the arrival of your 'mini me' result in extra landfill. Here’s how you can be an impact-savvy parent.
Just because an item has a recycling symbol on it doesn't mean it should go in your yellow-topped bin! For the first time there is a clear set of guidelines for all WA households about what can and can't be put in your yellow-topped recycling bin making it easier for you to own your impact and do the right thing. Are you up to speed with the changes?
Before you consign overripe bananas to the compost, why not give them a second lease on life – and yourself a tasty treat?