- 0 -

Created by:

Barbara Dick - Partnership Officer

Better Business Partnership – North Sydney Council

M: 0476 824 771 | P: 02 9777 7546

A: 34 Devonshire St, Chatswood, NSW 2067

W: www.betterbusinesspartnership.com.au

Content of this Plastic-Free Kit:

P1 Campaign Introduction

P2-5 Action Plan to Reduce Plastic

P6 Potential Suppliers

P7 Plastic-Free Events in North Sydney

Plastic-Free

The Better Business Partnership is funded by Ku-ring-gai, North Sydney and Willoughby Councils to support businesses to save money, reduce their environmental impact, recognise and reward their achievements, and to create a better community. This Plastic-Free campaign aims to raise awareness of the amount of disposable plastic used in the North Sydney area, and the amount of plastic litter found in Sydney Harbour. We are working to encourage businesses to pledge to reduce their use of disposable plastics in their business operations.

Business Kit

- 1 -

Please end single-use plastics use in North Sydney

Almost 90% of the marine debris found on Sydney’s beaches is plastic, mostly bottles, caps, bags and straws. The majority of this waste isn’t washed up by the ocean, but is generated inadvertently by beachgoers and local venues. Single use plastics are used for under 5 minutes but can take over 500 years to break down. By 2050, 95% of seabirds will have plastic in their guts. In North Sydney, we enjoy access to the beautiful Sydney Harbour and the river, and water-based recreation is an essential part of living here for local residents, businesses and visitors. This plastic waste is bad for the environment and it’s bad for business. There is an easy solution that you can be a part of. Our ‘Refuse Single Use’ campaign, run by Better Business Partnership in partnership with North Sydney Council, aims to connect local businesses together to phase out single-use plastics in their operations and lead the way towards a plastic-free North Sydney.

That’s why we’re asking you to: Join our campaign and pledge to reduce your usage of disposable plastic in your

business operations by the end of 2016. Be recognised for your efforts and join other businesses in the area who have

signed our pledge and who will be shared and promoted by all the campaign partners online, and communicate to your customers about the campaign with a special window sticker/poster.

In the meantime, you can: o Adopt an Offer-first policy, o Replace plastics by paper or compostable options, o Provide reusable alternatives for people to purchase, o Reward customers who BYO reusable containers, o Educate customers on how to dispose of the plastic items once used.

See your Campaign Kit enclosed and visit http://www.northsydney.nsw.gov.au/plasticfreejuly for more information and to start making a difference. Sustainably, Barbara Dick Sustainability Partnership Officer North Sydney Council and Better Business Partnership

- 2 -

YOUR ACTION PLAN TO REDUCE PLASTIC

– Actions sorted from Low cost/effort to High cost/effort – – Look at the relevant plastic types and pick your preferred actions –

IMP

LE

ME

NT

B

Y (D

AT

E) /

CO

MM

EN

TS

CAMPAIGN ACTIONS

Place a Plastic-Free July sticker or poster on your store’s window and a pile of campaign postcards near your till

Organise a staff meeting or informal chats to your team about the campaign, to get them on board and aware of the issues

Offer each customer a Plastic-Free July postcard and mention the campaign

Mention the campaign on your website or social media and encourage your followers to reduce their use of plastics

PLASTIC

BAGS

Adopt an Offer-first policy – Ask customers if they would like a bag before giving them one

Or: Adopt an Offer-first policy – Only provide a plastic bag if the customer asks

Communicate to customers to recycle their used plastic bags at the RedCycle collection point in their local supermarket. Mention that they cannot be placed in recycling bins – Signage, verbal communication, note on receipts

Offer a discount to people who bring their own bags

Place a surcharge on plastic bags

Offer cardboard boxes to customers

Swap plastic bags for paper bag options

Swap plastic bags for compostable bag options

Provide alternatives for people to purchase (reusable bags such as canvas bags or eco bags)

Pledge to become Plastic Bag free and remove all plastic bags from your business

- 3 -

PLASTIC STRAWS

Adopt an Offer-first policy – Ask customers if they would like a straw before giving them one

Or: Adopt an Offer-first policy – Only provide a straw if the customer asks

Or: Adopt an Offer-first policy – Don’t give out straws, have them available for customers in a dispenser on your counter

Communicate to customers how to dispose of plastic straws (they are not recyclable, do not litter) – Signage, verbal communication etc.

Swap plastic straws for compostable options (paper or bioplastics)

Swap single-use straws for reusable and washable options (steel, glass) if the customers are eating in

Pledge to become Straw-free and remove all straws you’re your business

PLASTIC-LINED COFFEE CUPS &

PLASTIC LIDS

Adopt an Offer-first policy for lids – ask customers if they would like a lid on their cup before giving them one.

NB: Mention to be careful with hot drinks and spillage

Check first with customers if they are eating in or taking away, and if having in, use non disposable and washable cups

Communicate to customers how to dispose of coffee cups after use (check with your waste contractor, but the rule of thumb is that cups are not recyclable but lids usually are)

Offer a discount to people who bring their own cups (such as 20-50cts off the price of their coffee)

Make it fun – Offer a free coffee to every 10th reusable cups used, or have a visual count by your till on a blackboard, of the number of cups saved from landfill

Swap plastic-lined coffee cups with biodegradable options which are lined with compostable bioplastics

Provide reusable coffee cups for people to purchase. These could be customised and even branded with your logo.

- 4 -

PLASTIC

DRINKING BOTTLES

Provide a refill station for people to refill their own water bottles – place signage on your shop front of by the sink

Encourage people to reuse their bottles rather than purchasing a plastic water bottle – use signage and verbal communication

Communicate to customers to recycle plastic bottles after use – signage, verbal communication

Provide glasses and jugs of tap water instead of selling bottled water

Source glass drinking water bottles instead of plastic bottle

Provide reusable water bottles for people to purchase. These could be customised and even branded with your logo

Pledge to become Plastic Bottle-free and remove all plastic water bottles from your business

PLASTIC

DRINK CUPS & LIDS

Check first with customers if they are eating in or taking away, and if having in, use non disposable and washable cups or jars

Communicate to customers to recycle their plastic cups after use – through signage, verbal communication etc.

Offer a discount to people who bring their own cups or jars (such as 20-50cts off the price of their drink)

Provide reusable drinking cups for people to purchase. These could be customised and even branded with your logo

PLASTIC

CUTLERY

Adopt an Offer-first policy – ask customers if they would like cutlery before giving them some

Or: Adopt an Offer-first policy – only provide cutlery if the customer asks for it

Or: Adopt an Offer-first policy – don’t give out cutlery, have them available for customers in a dispenser on the counter

Check first with customers if they are eating in or taking away, and if having in, use non disposable and washable cutlery

Communicate to customers how to dispose of plastic cutlery (they are usually not recyclable, do not litter)

Swap plastic cutlery for compostable options that are more eco-friendly and will biodegrade in landfill

Provide reusable cutlery for people to purchase (bamboo, travel cutlery, eco-friendly options etc.)

- 5 -

PLASTIC

FOOD CONTAINERS

Check first with customers if they are eating in or taking away, and if having in, use non disposable and washable plates or bowls

Place signage encouraging your customers to bring their own containers

Communicate to customers to recycle their plastic tubs and lids after use - signage, verbal communication

Offer a discount to people who bring their own containers, or offer more product for the same price

Swap plastic tubs for paper or cardboard boxes or bags, which can be recycled or will biodegrade in landfill

Swap plastic tubs for compostable options made of bioplastics which will biodegrade in landfill

Sell goods in bulk or offer refills if people bring their own containers

Provide alternatives for people to purchase such as reusable tubs or jars

OTHER

PLASTICS

There are plenty of other types of plastic that you can work on reducing in your business:

- Plastic bin liners - Cling film - Sandwich bags - Plastic plates - Plastic packaging - Microbeads in beauty/cleaning products - Latex balloons - Chewing gums (!) - Product containers and bottles - Etc.

If you would like some further assistance reducing your plastic usage, reducing your waste and improving your recycling, contact your BBP Officer. Also chat to your staff and get some ideas and suggestions. And Google is a very useful tool to get new ideas and inspiring stories.

- 6 -

POTENTIAL SUPPLIERS OF PLASTIC ALTERNATIVES

– This list is for your information only and is not complete or endorsed by Council – To assist you in your switch to non-disposable plastics, North Sydney Council and Better Business Partnership have put together a list of alternative packaging and product suppliers. This list is not complete or endorsed by Council. Businesses are advised to source their own suppliers and base their decision on environmental performance, durability and cost. Contact your BBP Officer if you would like some assistance in ordering/choosing some biodegradable/reusable options for your business. You can also request a FREE sample pack that includes samples from some of the listed suppliers below.

BioPak Biodegradable:

Cups

Takeaway containers

Bowls, plates and trays

Cutlery

Napkins

Bags etc. Address: Suite 2104, Westfield Tower 2, 101 Grafton Street, Bondi Junction NSW 2022 Number: 130024672 Website: www.biopak.com.au

Vegware Australia Pty Ltd Biodegradable:

Cups

Straws

Cutlery

Napkins

Takeaway containers

Cartons and boxes

Bags, wraps, bin liners

Food prep gloves etc. Address: 17/37A King Road Hornsby NSW 2077 Number: 02 9987 0800 Website: www.vegware.com.au/

Environmental Enterprises Biodegradable:

Cups

Bin liners

Cutlery

Napkins

Food bags

Takeaway containers Address: U7/44 Carrington Road, Castle Hill NSW 2154 Number: 02 9634 5697 Website: http://environmentalenterprises.com.au

Ozepac Solutions Group Biodegradable:

Cups

Food bags

Trays

Takeaway containers

Plates

Cutlery etc. Address: 9/175 Briens Rd, Northmead NSW 2152 Number: 1300 552 470 Website: www.ozepac.com.au

GreenPack Biodegradable:

Cups

Cutlery

Straws

Plates

Takeaway containers

Napkins Address: 1/11 Lucky Lane Billinudgel, NSW 2483 Number: 02 66 802 550 Website: www.greenpack.com.au

Cheeki Trading Reusable:

Single wall bottles

Insulated bottles

Coffee cups and mugs

Shopping bags

Flasks

Drink shakers etc. Address:7/93-99 South Creek Rd, Cromer, NSW 2099 Number: 0416 440 027 Website: www.cheeki.net.au

KeepCup Pty Ltd Reusable:

Plastic cups

Glass cups

Cup carry bags Address:72 Westgarth Street Fitzroy, Australia 3065 Number: 03 8417 1100 Website: www.keepcup.com.au

JOCO Group Pty Ltd

Reusable glass coffee cups Address: PO Box 742, Torquay, Victoria, 3228 Website: https://jococups.com

Bag People

Reusable fair trade bags Address: Ste 2403, Lvl 4, Bldg Q2, 4 Daydream Street, Warriewood NSW, 2102 Number: 029997 Website: www.bagpeople.com

- 7 -

FREE EVENTS IN NORTH SYDNEY FOR PLASTIC-FREE JULY

– The events below are free and organised by North Sydney Council – Make sure to RSVP in advance, you can organise a team outing and take your staff to the event, invite a few interested team members, share with your work colleagues, or invite your friends and family. Book by following the link below each event, or visit the page: www.northsydney.nsw.gov.au/plasticfreejuly.

‘Bag it’ Movie Screening

Refuse Single-use Plastic Forum

Live Plastic-Free Workshop

When: Thurs 14 July, 6.30pm - 8.30pm

Where: Coal Loader Centre for Sustainability, Waverton

When: Wed 20 July, 6.30pm - 9pm

Where: North Sydney Oval, Function Centre

When: Sat 23 July, 10.30am - 12.30pm

Where: Coal Loader Centre for Sustainability, Waverton

North Sydney Council invites you to

a free screening of the award-winning environmental documentary Bag It to help promote Plastic Free July and Council's Refuse Single-

use campaign.

Follow Jeb Berrier, an average guy who is admittedly not a

"tree hugger," who makes a pledge to stop using plastic bags

and to decrease his use of plastic bags at home. This small action gets Jeb thinking about plastic, so he embarks on a global tour

to unravel the complexities of our plastic world.

A thought-provoking panel discussion, with the opportunity for

real discussion and sharing of ideas, to talk about the problems of single-use plastic and what we can

all do about it.

Meet our passionate panel of leading Plastics & Litter experts:

Tim Silverwood - Environmentalist and Plastic Campaigner - Take 3

Mark Browne - Microplastic Expert and Plastics Academic and

Researcher - UNSW Libby Hall - Manager Taronga

Zoo Wildlife Hospital (TBC) Michael Stevens - Founder of local litter program HarbourCare

Plastic seems to have infiltrated every aspect of our lives from packaging to food

storage to skincare.

This workshop looks at how we can try to eliminate plastic from our

lives by suggesting alternatives to common products.

BOOK HERE NOW BOOK HERE NOW BOOK HERE NOW

For more information or assistance, contact:

Better Business Partnership Website: www.betterbusinesspartnership.com | Phone: 02 9777 9519

Your BBP Project Officer: Barbara Dick | Phone: 9777 7546 | Email: barbara.dick@betterbusinesspartnership.com.au