September is here and that means there are new single-use plastic bans! If you want to find out what that means for your cafe, we’ve summarised everything you need to know about the bans.
If you do not comply, fines cost up to $5000 per offence in WA, and up to $20,000 in SA!
What is banned in South Australia?
Say goodbye to single use takeaway coffee cups!
From September 1st, 2024, the government is banning plastic beverage containers from sale, supply, and distribution in the state. The ban will also prohibit single use plastic food containers such as single-use plastic bowls/trays with plastic lids.
The single-use plastic bans on expanded polystyrene are also becoming more comprehensive. EPS cups, bowls, plates and clamshell containers were banned in 2022. The ban will now extend to gelato tubs, cake boxes and meat and fruit trays.
You’ll no longer see plastic produce bags or thick supermarket plastic bags at the grocery store. Lastly, the ban also includes those pesky plastic food bag tags such as bread tags, along with plastic confetti and balloon sticks.
What is banned in Western Australia?
Similarly, the state is strengthening their single-use plastic bans on September 1st, 2024. On top of coffee cups and lids banned in March 2024 (including PLA cups and lids!) Western Australia is now banning disposable plastic lids for bowls, trays or containers used for takeaway food. Joining South Australia, they will also prohibit plastic produce bags.
What do the single-use plastic bans mean for cafes?
As business owners, you may be wondering how these single-use plastic bans will affect you. We’re here to offer some guidance and support as you navigate this transition.
First, your cafe needs to decide whether to source alternatives to single use plastic, such as home compostable products. Or, you can make the switch to 100% reusables. Daunting, but achievable! You could stock your retail selection with reusables (check out our great incentives and discounts in our new RC Directory), implement a swap system, and offer a mug library.
How to be proudly ban compliant
Let your customers know that you are embracing the single-use plastic bans by being a ban compliant cafe! An easy way to do this is by displaying posters in your cafe that highlight your commitment to sustainability.
Share updates on your social media channels to inform your customers about the changes you’re making. Tell them why it’s important that you’re a ban compliant cafe, and give them more reasons to support you! You can even download the Ban Compliant poster from our website to showcase your dedication to the cause.
With these single-use plastic bans coming into effect, now is the perfect time to reaffirm your commitment to sustainability.
Update your Responsible Cafes Profile
Did you know our accreditation now features a free sustainability rating for your cafe? Simply answer the questionnaire via your login access and discover how many Beans you cafe is awarded with. It all takes less than 5 minutes!
Feature your rating to promote your great actions and attract more of the sustainability minded customers. Recent studies have found that 38% of Australians actively consider sustainability when making their purchase choices, according to Statista (2022)
Why you should choose home compostable replacements instead of “compostable”
Not all compostable products are equal. The most widely available type of compostable cup is a Bioplastic or PLA (Polylactic Acid) lined cup. In PLA cups, plant-based plastic replaces the petroleum based plastic lining used in traditional plastic cups that are now banned in WA and SA.
These cups are commercially compostable. After being used, they should be sent to an industrial composting facility. There, they can be broken down with human intervention.
They are NOT recyclable, and should not go in your yellow bin. They require proper disposal via your FOGO green bin (if available) to ensure they are processed correctly.
Unfortunately only ~13% of councils accept compostable packaging in FOGO (ABA, 2022), making most of these options unsuitable for public space’s bins and cafes’ available waste infrastructure.
Commercially compostable cups that go to landfill still produce methane like their plastic counterparts. This is why we recommend only offering reusables or home compostable products. Bioplastic simply isn’t good enough.
Certified home compostable products break down in your garden compost in 10-24 weeks. If you’re offering home compostable cups, we recommend setting up a cup collection point. Tell your staff to let customers know they can drop them back to the cafe, or encourage them to start composting at home!
What about the rest of Australia?
Although the single-use plastic bans are only taking effect in South and Western Australia, it is a matter of time before they come to your state. If you’re a cafe owner elsewhere in Australia, we highly recommend taking steps to eliminate single use plastic to be prepared.
Be a leader of your community and inspire change
Although the single-use plastic bans are a step in the right direction, replacing one type of single use cup with another is still not enough. Remember your business can help lead the change from single use culture to reuse! Encourage your customers to slow down and dine in, or remember their reusable cup. Offer them a cup from your mug library or highlight the swap system you use before resorting to a takeaway cup. Make reuse the easiest option for your regulars.
If you want to be more proactive, check out our blog post ‘How To Avoid Single Use Plastic in Cafes 2024’! We lay out easy steps that you can implement in your day to day operations that will make a significant difference.
Content creator and social media maven, Amy keeps our Cafes and fellow waste warriors connected and updated across all of the Responsible Cafe socials. Passionate about inspiring positive change, sustainability, and performing, she can usually be found filming and editing videos with her furry sidekick, Banks!
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