Council has reaffirmed its strong commitment to reduce plastic waste generated within our offices and events by adopting the Plastic Wise Program Action Plan 2020-2021.
The program aims to minimise impacts on the environment with a
series of planned actions, such as:
- replacing disposable single use plastic items
such as cups with non-disposable items at City Hall - briefing catering and event equipment suppliers
of the City’s expectations to phase out single use plastics - implementing a staff awareness and education
program - finding opportunities to tighten cleaning
requirements to ensure waste is sorted correctly - improving waste management in council buildings
and identifying opportunities for more sustainable purchasing and - participating in events such as Clean-Up
Australia Day that reduce the impacts of single use plastic on the
environment.
Some of the plan’s actions
are already underway, such as updating events application forms and guides with
wording encouraging recycling, the reduction of single-use plastic and
non-recyclables and other waste minimisation actions.
The community, external
stakeholders and our staff were consulted as part of the development of Council’s Draft Waste and Resource Recovery Strategy 2020-2030, which was also
adopted last night. There’s been strong community feedback that council should
take a leadership role in reducing and preventing the use of single use
plastic.
We will continue to work
with community groups to reduce plastic and has provided funding for projects
such as:
- minimising single use plastics in Ocean Grove (in
partnership with Repair café) - War on Waste: Green Cafes project (in partnership
with Geelong Sustainability) and - War on Waste: community education (in partnership
with Geelong Sustainability).
The program action plan was
developed following a Notice of Motion from Councillor Sarah Mansfield in 2018.
Councillor Stephanie Asher – Mayor
It’s council’s role to show
leadership in reducing the use and purchase of plastic, particularly single use
plastic items. I thank Cr Mansfield for championing this program and I’m proud
the council group has adopted this action plan. We enthusiastically support all
initiatives that help the environment and reduce the City’s footprint.
Councillor Sarah
Mansfield
Single use
plastics are a major contributor to environmental damage, particularly to our
stunning coastline and wildlife biodiversity. This strategy is an important
piece of work and will help make a difference in the region, but more needs to
be done.The plan also
allows for the City to work in partnership with events and community groups on
reducing our use of plastics.
