Plastic free businesses

You can help reduce plastic pollution by switching your business away from single-use plastics to environmental alternatives. Below you can learn different ways to reduce the use of plastic in your business and move toward becoming plastic free.

Ban on single-use plastics

By 2023, the Victorian Government will be banning single-use plastics for sale or supply throughout Victoria. This ban aims to reduce the amount of plastic waste sent to landfill, including:

• plastic straws
• plastic plates
• plastic cutlery
• plastic drink stirrers
• polystyrene containers.

You can find more information about the ban on the Victorian Government website.

Plastic free business pilot program

We are running a pilot program with 20 food and hospitality businesses in Camberwell. This program will help these businesses reduce and remove single-use plastic items. We will support these businesses to replace items with reusable or sustainable options.

We have partnered with the Boomerang Alliance and are working with the Camberwell Centre Traders Association to deliver the program. The program started in May 2022 and will run for six months.

We are looking to learn through this program how we can best support businesses in Boroondara in reducing their plastic use.

Shopping locally is a good way to show support for the efforts of these businesses.

Participating businesses

The 20 Camberwell based businesses participating in the plastic free pilot program are:

• Collective Espresso
• Heritage Wall Cafe
• Ignite Cafe
• Legacy Cafe
• Soul Sisters Cafe
• MickeyLees Pizza
• Yum Yami
• 1961 Coffee Roasters
• Malay Kitchen
• Choclatte
• REX Espresso
• Afghan Village Restaurant
• Dale La Pau
• Nigel
• Chargrill Charlie’s
• Latte Da Cafe
• Fish & Sushi Well
• Hash Specialty Coffee
• Thirty Mill
• Coltivare

For more information about the program please contact our Environmental Sustainability team at [email protected] or on (03) 9278 4444.

Ways to reduce single-use plastics in your business

Making the switch away from single-use plastics can:

• benefit your business
• help to attract new customers
• protect the environment.

Here are some tips for reducing single-use plastics in your business:

• Brainstorm with your staff about ways you can reduce single-use plastics and make a plan.
• Think about what you are giving out. What plastic products or packaging can you remove, reduce, or replace with sustainable options? Even if a disposable option is compostable, it is better to go for a reusable option. Have a chat with your suppliers about the alternatives they offer.
• Ask customers to bring in their own reusable coffee cups, takeaway containers and bags.
• Spread the word and get your customers on board. The more people who are aware of the issue and the solutions, the bigger the impact! This can include social media content and shop signage.

Plastic Free July

Every July, millions of people around the world choose to participate in Plastic Free July as a way to reduce their use of plastic. If you would like to get involved or to find out more about reducing plastic waste in your business, visit the Plastic Free July website.

More information

For tips on avoiding single-use plastics and waste more broadly, see our Avoiding waste page.

You can also find out more information by contacting our Environmental Sustainability team at [email protected] or on (03) 9278 4444.