PLASTIC FREE CAIRNS

A GUIDE FOR FOOD AND BEVERAGE BUSINESSES

cairns.qld.gov.au/plasticfree

COFFEE CUPS AND LIDSReusableAlways confirm if customers want their beverage dine in or takeaway. Reward customers that bring their own cup with a small discount. Consider selling reusable cups at the point of sale which can be branded.Head to Responsible Cafés for promotional materials: www.responsiblecafes.org

TakeawayStock certified compostable cups with a waxed or biodegradable PLA lining. Avoid packagaing that claims to be landfill biodegradable.

STRAWSReusableStop automatically providing straws for customers. Consider providing reusable steel or bamboo straws for dine in customers on request or stock reusables at your point of sale.

TakeawayProvide paper or pasta straws on request only or with a dispenser at your point of sale to reduce unecessary waste (and costs). Avoid oxo-degradable straws as these are plastic based.Join the Straw No More www.strawnomore.org or Last Straw on the Great Barrier Reef thelaststrawonthegbr.wordpress.com to promote this to your customers.

THE PROBLEM WITH PLASTICS

PLASTIC FREE CAIRNS

• Often used for minutes, plastics never 'go away' but break up into smaller pieces that can remain in the environment for hundreds of years.

• Are the most littered item in the Cairns region, presenting risks to wildlife suchas entanglement or ingestion.

• Can alter onshore environments (such as nesting areas or soil composition)and underwater environments (affecting coral health).

• Often non-recyclable, they are a major source of landfill in the region.

• Globally, 8% of oil production is used for plastics and items are often producedoverseas, contributing to greenhouse gas emissions and climate change.

A GUIDE FOR FOOD & BEVERAGE BUSINESSES

Council encourages you to join in caring for our world class land and sea environment by reducing single-use plastics in your business - avoiding unnecessary landfill and the impacts of litter.

Take this opportunity to reach the growing eco-conscious market by sending a strong signal to your customers with responsible serving and packaging practices.

You may start with just one item or pledge to switch them all. We have committed to remove straws and other single-use plastics from our operations and Council-run markets, events and functions.

If you would like to access support from a Council officer, please contact:

sustainability@cairns.qld.gov.au

TAKEAWAY CONTAINERSReusableAllow customers to BYO containers and consider offering a discount. Ensure serving utensils do not make contact with the container to reduce potential contamination. Containers that are unsatisfactory cleaned should be refused.

TakeawaySwitch to certified compostable food packaging like sugar cane, bamboo or sustainably sourced card (without clear plastic viewing panels or lining). Ensure products are microwaveable, leak and freezer proof.

BAGSReusableConsider branded reusable bags for sale or set up a swap system for regulars.

TakeawayRemove plastic, bio-plastic or degradable bags of any thickness and provide sustainably sourced paper bags or boxes.

DRINK CONTAINERSReusableProvide table water in glasses and encourage customers to BYO bottles for free refills or offer filtered or carbonated options for a fee.

TakeawayAvoid plastic and composite packaging such as flavoured milk or coconut water as they are difficult to recycle compared to glass or aluminium.

FOOD WARE (CUTLERY & PLATES)ReusableUse washable reusable items such as stainless steel or ceramic where possible.

TakeawaySwitch to compostable cutlery and plates such as sugar cane, bamboo or sustainably sourced wood.

SUSTAINABILITY & YOUR BUSINESSTo learn more about energy savings, waste reduction, procurement and water management head to:

cairns.qld.gov.au/ecologic

cciqecobiz.com.au

For more information visit cairns.qld.gov.au/plasticfree

cairns.qld.gov.au/plasticfree

PLASTICS Term Definition: • Generally refers to a group of fossil-fuel derived

synthetic polymers.

Littered Impacts: • Can remain in the environment for hundreds of years.• Breaks up into smaller pieces that do not ‘go away’

(E.g. One plastic bottle can break up into 10,000 pieces of micro plastics).

Disposal Considerations:• Dispose of all soft plastics in waste bin (or a

specialised soft plastics recycling service).• Hard plastics can generally be recycled if clean.• Often recycled plastics are ‘down cycled’ into lower

value products, with high energy input.• Less than 9% of plastics are recycled in Australia.

Recommendation: Avoid - May be suitable to use in applications where littering is unlikely

DEGRADABLE & OXY-DEGRADABLE PLASTIC

Term Definition: • Generally refers to a group of fossil-fuel derived

synthetic polymers.• Degradable & Oxy-Degradable involves speeding

up plastic fragmentation in presence of oxygen and sunlight.

Littered Impacts: • Often lightweight and highly mobile in the

environment.• Impacts the environment sooner than normal, stable

plastic items would.• Breaks up into smaller pieces, even to the point that it

is not readily seen.

Disposal Considerations:• Dispose of all soft plastics in waste bin (or a

specialised soft plastics recycling service).• Often recycled plastics are ‘down cycled’ into lower

value products, with high energy input.• Less than 9% of plastics are recycled in Australia.

Recommendation: Avoid

LANDFILL BIODEGRADABLE PLASTIC

Term Definition: • A plastic containing an additive which could attract

microbes in a biologically active landfill.

Littered Impacts: • Presents a risk to the environment like any other

plastic.

Disposal Considerations: • Claims are not certified or tested in a live landfill• Requires a biologically active landfill, those in the Far

North Queensland region are not.• Can be recycled in general recycling.

Recommendation: Avoid - No proven benefit to the environment for the premium price

STYROFOAM (PS)

Term Definition: Closed-cell Expanded Polystyrene Foam made from fossil fuel derived synthetic polymers.

Littered Impacts: Lightweight and highly mobile in the environment. Floating ability increases likelihood of ingestion by marine life.

Disposal Considerations:Non-recyclable and no known specialist services operating in Cairns.

Recommendation: Avoid

BIODEGRADABLE BIO-PLASTICS (PLA)

Term Definition: • Derived from plant materials, not petroleum products.• Capable of being naturally degradable into a biogas.

Certification: Commercial Composting• May or may not be certified to Australian Standards.

If certified: it is capable of being biodegraded at elevated temperatures in soil, under specific conditions and time scales, usually only possible at commercial composters.

Littered Impacts: • Highly mobile when littered - lasts several years in a

marine environment.• Breaks up into smaller pieces.

Disposal Considerations:• Dispose of in waste bin (Commercial composting

occurs in Cairns Regional Council).• Cannot be recycled in Australia

(Hard, clear biodegradable products are often confused with synthetic plastics and if put in the recycling bin, contaminates the recycling of those plastics.)

• Often products are a mix of paper and lined with PLA which is preferable to PET plastic lining.

Recommendation: Avoid where possible, use where necessary

HOME COMPOSTABLE

Term Definition: • Derived from plant materials, often like wood, bamboo

or sugarcane.• May or may not be sustainably sourced• May be a mix and lined with wax or a small amount of

PLA

Certification: Home Composting• May be certified to Australian Standard (AS 5810—

2010) for home composting.

Littered Impacts: Environmental impact and persistence in the environment is generally vastly less compared to bio-plastics and plastics.

Disposal Considerations:Dispose of in waste bin (commercial composting occurs in Cairns Regional Council) or home compost

Recommendation: Preferred

Sourcing Alternative ProductsCouncil encourages reusable products wherever possible, however when sourcing takeaway items it is best to seek certified commercial or home compostable items for processing into compost by Council’s Advanced Resource Recovery Facility. These alternatives are available from the following local suppliers:

• Reward ••

• Star Packaging Max Stocks

• Winc (formerly Staples) • Campbells•

ChefLink Enviromart

• Bidfood • • PFD Reef Straw

PACKAGING INFORMATION: PURCHASING & DISPOSAL Common Disposable Packaging Terms & Local Considerations

Example Common Term Term Definition Littered Impacts Disposal Considerations Recommendation

Plastics

• Generally refers to a group of fossil-fuel derived syntheticpolymers.

• Can remain in the environment for hundreds of years.

• Breaks up into smaller pieces that do not‘go away’ (E.g. One plastic bottle can breakup into 10,000 pieces of micro plastics).

• Dispose of all soft plastics in waste bin (or a specialised softplastics recycling service).

• Hard plastics can generally be recycled if clean.• Often recycled plastics are ‘down cycled’ into lower value

products, with high energy input.• Less than 9% of plastics are recycled in Australia.

Avoid

May be suitable to usein applications where

littering is unlikely

Degradable&

Oxy-DegradablePlastic

• Generally refers to a group of fossil-fuel derived syntheticpolymers.

• Degradable & Oxy-Degradable involves speeding up plasticfragmentation in presence of oxygen and sunlight.

• Often lightweight and highly mobile in theenvironment.

• Impacts the environment sooner thannormal, stable plastic items would.

• Breaks up into smaller pieces, even to the point that it is not readily seen.

• Dispose of all soft plastics in waste bin (or a specialised softplastics recycling service).

• Hard plastic oxy-degradable products should not go intorecycling because they contain an additive that couldcontaminate the other stable recyclable plastics, potentiallycausing them to degrade.

Avoid

Landfill Biodegradable

Plastic

• A plastic containing an additive which could attractmicrobes in a biologically active landfill.

• Presents a risk to the environment like anyother plastic.

• Claims are not certified or tested in a live landfill• Requires a biologically active landfill, those in the Far North

Queensland region are not.• Can be recycled in general recycling.

Avoid

No proven benefit tothe environment for the

premium price

Styrofoam

(PS)

• Closed-cell Expanded Polystyrene Foam made from fossil fuel derived synthetic polymers.

• Lightweight and highly mobile in theenvironment. Floating ability increaseslikelihood of ingestion by marine life.

• Non-recyclable and no known specialist services operating inCairns. Avoid

BiodegradableBio-plastics

(PLA)

• Derived from plant materials, not petroleum products.• Capable of being naturally degradable into a biogas.

Certification: Commercial Composting• May or may not be certified to Australian Standards. If

certified: it is capable of being biodegraded at elevatedtemperatures in soil, under specific conditions and timescales, usually only possible at commercial composters.

• Highly mobile when littered - lasts several years in a marine environment.

• Breaks up into smaller pieces.

• Dispose of in waste bin (Commercial composting occurs in CairnsRegional Council).

• Cannot be recycled in Australia(Hard, clear biodegradable products are often confused withsynthetic plastics and if put in the recycling bin, contaminatesthe recycling of those plastics.)

• Often products are a mix of paper and lined with PLA which ispreferable to PET plastic lining.

Avoid wherepossible, use

where necessary

Home Compostable

• Derived from plant materials, often like wood, bamboo or sugarcane.

• May or may not be sustainably sourced• May be a mix and lined with wax or a small amount of PLA

Certification: Home Composting• May be certified to Australian Standard (AS 5810—2010)

for home composting.

• Environmental impact and persistence inthe environment is generally vastly lesscompared to bio-plastics and plastics.

• Dispose of in waste bin (commercial composting occurs inCairns Regional Council) or home compost

Preferred

Environmental Impacts: Single-use plastics are amongst the most littered items documented in clean ups around Cairns and present risks to wildlife such as entanglement and various

ailments from their ingestion. They can alter onshore environments (such as nesting areas or soil composition) as well as underwater environments (attracting toxins and affecting coral

health). It is estimated that 40% of Cairns’ remnant waste is plastics - a significant portion of the 40,000 odd tonnes Cairns households send to landfill each year.

Cairns Regional Council: More information on Council’s progress to remove single-use plastics is available online: www.cairns.qld.gov.au/plasticfree

Common Disposable Packaging Terms & Local ConsiderationsExample Common Term Term Definition Littered Impacts Disposal Considerations Recommendation

Plastics

• Generally refers to a group of fossil-fuel derived syntheticpolymers.

• Can remain in the environment for hundreds of years.

• Breaks up into smaller pieces that do not‘go away’ (E.g. One plastic bottle can breakup into 10,000 pieces of micro plastics).

• Dispose of all soft plastics in waste bin (or a specialised softplastics recycling service).

• Hard plastics can generally be recycled if clean.• Often recycled plastics are ‘down cycled’ into lower value

products, with high energy input.• Less than 9% of plastics are recycled in Australia.

Avoid

May be suitable to usein applications where

littering is unlikely

Degradable&

Oxy-DegradablePlastic

• Generally refers to a group of fossil-fuel derived syntheticpolymers.

• Degradable & Oxy-Degradable involves speeding up plasticfragmentation in presence of oxygen and sunlight.

• Often lightweight and highly mobile in theenvironment.

• Impacts the environment sooner thannormal, stable plastic items would.

• Breaks up into smaller pieces, even to the point that it is not readily seen.

• Dispose of all soft plastics in waste bin (or a specialised softplastics recycling service).

• Hard plastic oxy-degradable products should not go intorecycling because they contain an additive that couldcontaminate the other stable recyclable plastics, potentiallycausing them to degrade.

Avoid

Landfill Biodegradable

Plastic

• A plastic containing an additive which could attractmicrobes in a biologically active landfill.

• Presents a risk to the environment like anyother plastic.

• Claims are not certified or tested in a live landfill• Requires a biologically active landfill, those in the Far North

Queensland region are not.• Can be recycled in general recycling.

Avoid

No proven benefit tothe environment for the

premium price

Styrofoam

(PS)

• Closed-cell Expanded Polystyrene Foam made from fossil fuel derived synthetic polymers.

• Lightweight and highly mobile in theenvironment. Floating ability increaseslikelihood of ingestion by marine life.

• Non-recyclable and no known specialist services operating inCairns. Avoid

BiodegradableBio-plastics

(PLA)

• Derived from plant materials, not petroleum products.• Capable of being naturally degradable into a biogas.

Certification: Commercial Composting• May or may not be certified to Australian Standards. If

certified: it is capable of being biodegraded at elevatedtemperatures in soil, under specific conditions and timescales, usually only possible at commercial composters.

• Highly mobile when littered - lasts several years in a marine environment.

• Breaks up into smaller pieces.

• Dispose of in waste bin (Commercial composting occurs in CairnsRegional Council).

• Cannot be recycled in Australia(Hard, clear biodegradable products are often confused withsynthetic plastics and if put in the recycling bin, contaminatesthe recycling of those plastics.)

• Often products are a mix of paper and lined with PLA which ispreferable to PET plastic lining.

Avoid wherepossible, use

where necessary

Home Compostable

• Derived from plant materials, often like wood, bamboo or sugarcane.

• May or may not be sustainably sourced• May be a mix and lined with wax or a small amount of PLA

Certification: Home Composting• May be certified to Australian Standard (AS 5810—2010)

for home composting.

• Environmental impact and persistence inthe environment is generally vastly lesscompared to bio-plastics and plastics.

• Dispose of in waste bin (commercial composting occurs inCairns Regional Council) or home compost

Preferred

Environmental Impacts: Single-use plastics are amongst the most littered items documented in clean ups around Cairns and present risks to wildlife such as entanglement and various

ailments from their ingestion. They can alter onshore environments (such as nesting areas or soil composition) as well as underwater environments (attracting toxins and affecting coral

health). It is estimated that 40% of Cairns’ remnant waste is plastics - a significant portion of the 40,000 odd tonnes Cairns households send to landfill each year.

Cairns Regional Council: More information on Council’s progress to remove single-use plastics is available online: www.cairns.qld.gov.au/plasticfree

Common Disposable Packaging Terms & Local ConsiderationsExample Common Term Term Definition Littered Impacts Disposal Considerations Recommendation

Plastics

• Generally refers to a group of fossil-fuel derived syntheticpolymers.

• Can remain in the environment for hundreds of years.

• Breaks up into smaller pieces that do not‘go away’ (E.g. One plastic bottle can breakup into 10,000 pieces of micro plastics).

• Dispose of all soft plastics in waste bin (or a specialised softplastics recycling service).

• Hard plastics can generally be recycled if clean.• Often recycled plastics are ‘down cycled’ into lower value

products, with high energy input.• Less than 9% of plastics are recycled in Australia.

Avoid

May be suitable to usein applications where

littering is unlikely

Degradable&

Oxy-DegradablePlastic

• Generally refers to a group of fossil-fuel derived syntheticpolymers.

• Degradable & Oxy-Degradable involves speeding up plasticfragmentation in presence of oxygen and sunlight.

• Often lightweight and highly mobile in theenvironment.

• Impacts the environment sooner thannormal, stable plastic items would.

• Breaks up into smaller pieces, even to the point that it is not readily seen.

• Dispose of all soft plastics in waste bin (or a specialised softplastics recycling service).

• Hard plastic oxy-degradable products should not go intorecycling because they contain an additive that couldcontaminate the other stable recyclable plastics, potentiallycausing them to degrade.

Avoid

Landfill Biodegradable

Plastic

• A plastic containing an additive which could attractmicrobes in a biologically active landfill.

• Presents a risk to the environment like anyother plastic.

• Claims are not certified or tested in a live landfill• Requires a biologically active landfill, those in the Far North

Queensland region are not.• Can be recycled in general recycling.

Avoid

No proven benefit tothe environment for the

premium price

Styrofoam

(PS)

• Closed-cell Expanded Polystyrene Foam made from fossil fuel derived synthetic polymers.

• Lightweight and highly mobile in theenvironment. Floating ability increaseslikelihood of ingestion by marine life.

• Non-recyclable and no known specialist services operating inCairns. Avoid

BiodegradableBio-plastics

(PLA)

• Derived from plant materials, not petroleum products.• Capable of being naturally degradable into a biogas.

Certification: Commercial Composting• May or may not be certified to Australian Standards. If

certified: it is capable of being biodegraded at elevatedtemperatures in soil, under specific conditions and timescales, usually only possible at commercial composters.

• Highly mobile when littered - lasts several years in a marine environment.

• Breaks up into smaller pieces.

• Dispose of in waste bin (Commercial composting occurs in CairnsRegional Council).

• Cannot be recycled in Australia(Hard, clear biodegradable products are often confused withsynthetic plastics and if put in the recycling bin, contaminatesthe recycling of those plastics.)

• Often products are a mix of paper and lined with PLA which ispreferable to PET plastic lining.

Avoid wherepossible, use

where necessary

Home Compostable

• Derived from plant materials, often like wood, bamboo or sugarcane.

• May or may not be sustainably sourced• May be a mix and lined with wax or a small amount of PLA

Certification: Home Composting• May be certified to Australian Standard (AS 5810—2010)

for home composting.

• Environmental impact and persistence inthe environment is generally vastly lesscompared to bio-plastics and plastics.

• Dispose of in waste bin (commercial composting occurs inCairns Regional Council) or home compost

Preferred

Environmental Impacts: Single-use plastics are amongst the most littered items documented in clean ups around Cairns and present risks to wildlife such as entanglement and various

ailments from their ingestion. They can alter onshore environments (such as nesting areas or soil composition) as well as underwater environments (attracting toxins and affecting coral

health). It is estimated that 40% of Cairns’ remnant waste is plastics - a significant portion of the 40,000 odd tonnes Cairns households send to landfill each year.

Cairns Regional Council: More information on Council’s progress to remove single-use plastics is available online: www.cairns.qld.gov.au/plasticfree

Common Disposable Packaging Terms & Local ConsiderationsExample Common Term Term Definition Littered Impacts Disposal Considerations Recommendation

Plastics

• Generally refers to a group of fossil-fuel derived syntheticpolymers.

• Can remain in the environment for hundreds of years.

• Breaks up into smaller pieces that do not‘go away’ (E.g. One plastic bottle can breakup into 10,000 pieces of micro plastics).

• Dispose of all soft plastics in waste bin (or a specialised softplastics recycling service).

• Hard plastics can generally be recycled if clean.• Often recycled plastics are ‘down cycled’ into lower value

products, with high energy input.• Less than 9% of plastics are recycled in Australia.

Avoid

May be suitable to usein applications where

littering is unlikely

Degradable&

Oxy-DegradablePlastic

• Generally refers to a group of fossil-fuel derived syntheticpolymers.

• Degradable & Oxy-Degradable involves speeding up plasticfragmentation in presence of oxygen and sunlight.

• Often lightweight and highly mobile in theenvironment.

• Impacts the environment sooner thannormal, stable plastic items would.

• Breaks up into smaller pieces, even to the point that it is not readily seen.

• Dispose of all soft plastics in waste bin (or a specialised softplastics recycling service).

• Hard plastic oxy-degradable products should not go intorecycling because they contain an additive that couldcontaminate the other stable recyclable plastics, potentiallycausing them to degrade.

Avoid

Landfill Biodegradable

Plastic

• A plastic containing an additive which could attractmicrobes in a biologically active landfill.

• Presents a risk to the environment like anyother plastic.

• Claims are not certified or tested in a live landfill• Requires a biologically active landfill, those in the Far North

Queensland region are not.• Can be recycled in general recycling.

Avoid

No proven benefit tothe environment for the

premium price

Styrofoam

(PS)

• Closed-cell Expanded Polystyrene Foam made from fossil fuel derived synthetic polymers.

• Lightweight and highly mobile in theenvironment. Floating ability increaseslikelihood of ingestion by marine life.

• Non-recyclable and no known specialist services operating inCairns. Avoid

BiodegradableBio-plastics

(PLA)

• Derived from plant materials, not petroleum products.• Capable of being naturally degradable into a biogas.

Certification: Commercial Composting• May or may not be certified to Australian Standards. If

certified: it is capable of being biodegraded at elevatedtemperatures in soil, under specific conditions and timescales, usually only possible at commercial composters.

• Highly mobile when littered - lasts several years in a marine environment.

• Breaks up into smaller pieces.

• Dispose of in waste bin (Commercial composting occurs in CairnsRegional Council).

• Cannot be recycled in Australia(Hard, clear biodegradable products are often confused withsynthetic plastics and if put in the recycling bin, contaminatesthe recycling of those plastics.)

• Often products are a mix of paper and lined with PLA which ispreferable to PET plastic lining.

Avoid wherepossible, use

where necessary

Home Compostable

• Derived from plant materials, often like wood, bamboo or sugarcane.

• May or may not be sustainably sourced• May be a mix and lined with wax or a small amount of PLA

Certification: Home Composting• May be certified to Australian Standard (AS 5810—2010)

for home composting.

• Environmental impact and persistence inthe environment is generally vastly lesscompared to bio-plastics and plastics.

• Dispose of in waste bin (commercial composting occurs inCairns Regional Council) or home compost

Preferred

Environmental Impacts: Single-use plastics are amongst the most littered items documented in clean ups around Cairns and present risks to wildlife such as entanglement and various

ailments from their ingestion. They can alter onshore environments (such as nesting areas or soil composition) as well as underwater environments (attracting toxins and affecting coral

health). It is estimated that 40% of Cairns’ remnant waste is plastics - a significant portion of the 40,000 odd tonnes Cairns households send to landfill each year.

Cairns Regional Council: More information on Council’s progress to remove single-use plastics is available online: www.cairns.qld.gov.au/plasticfree

Common Disposable Packaging Terms & Local ConsiderationsExample Common Term Term Definition Littered Impacts Disposal Considerations Recommendation

Plastics

• Generally refers to a group of fossil-fuel derived syntheticpolymers.

• Can remain in the environment for hundreds of years.

• Breaks up into smaller pieces that do not‘go away’ (E.g. One plastic bottle can breakup into 10,000 pieces of micro plastics).

• Dispose of all soft plastics in waste bin (or a specialised softplastics recycling service).

• Hard plastics can generally be recycled if clean.• Often recycled plastics are ‘down cycled’ into lower value

products, with high energy input.• Less than 9% of plastics are recycled in Australia.

Avoid

May be suitable to usein applications where

littering is unlikely

Degradable&

Oxy-DegradablePlastic

• Generally refers to a group of fossil-fuel derived syntheticpolymers.

• Degradable & Oxy-Degradable involves speeding up plasticfragmentation in presence of oxygen and sunlight.

• Often lightweight and highly mobile in theenvironment.

• Impacts the environment sooner thannormal, stable plastic items would.

• Breaks up into smaller pieces, even to the point that it is not readily seen.

• Dispose of all soft plastics in waste bin (or a specialised softplastics recycling service).

• Hard plastic oxy-degradable products should not go intorecycling because they contain an additive that couldcontaminate the other stable recyclable plastics, potentiallycausing them to degrade.

Avoid

Landfill Biodegradable

Plastic

• A plastic containing an additive which could attractmicrobes in a biologically active landfill.

• Presents a risk to the environment like anyother plastic.

• Claims are not certified or tested in a live landfill• Requires a biologically active landfill, those in the Far North

Queensland region are not.• Can be recycled in general recycling.

Avoid

No proven benefit tothe environment for the

premium price

Styrofoam

(PS)

• Closed-cell Expanded Polystyrene Foam made from fossil fuel derived synthetic polymers.

• Lightweight and highly mobile in theenvironment. Floating ability increaseslikelihood of ingestion by marine life.

• Non-recyclable and no known specialist services operating inCairns. Avoid

BiodegradableBio-plastics

(PLA)

• Derived from plant materials, not petroleum products.• Capable of being naturally degradable into a biogas.

Certification: Commercial Composting• May or may not be certified to Australian Standards. If

certified: it is capable of being biodegraded at elevatedtemperatures in soil, under specific conditions and timescales, usually only possible at commercial composters.

• Highly mobile when littered - lasts several years in a marine environment.

• Breaks up into smaller pieces.

• Dispose of in waste bin (Commercial composting occurs in CairnsRegional Council).

• Cannot be recycled in Australia(Hard, clear biodegradable products are often confused withsynthetic plastics and if put in the recycling bin, contaminatesthe recycling of those plastics.)

• Often products are a mix of paper and lined with PLA which ispreferable to PET plastic lining.

Avoid wherepossible, use

where necessary

Home Compostable

• Derived from plant materials, often like wood, bamboo or sugarcane.

• May or may not be sustainably sourced• May be a mix and lined with wax or a small amount of PLA

Certification: Home Composting• May be certified to Australian Standard (AS 5810—2010)

for home composting.

• Environmental impact and persistence inthe environment is generally vastly lesscompared to bio-plastics and plastics.

• Dispose of in waste bin (commercial composting occurs inCairns Regional Council) or home compost

Preferred

Environmental Impacts: Single-use plastics are amongst the most littered items documented in clean ups around Cairns and present risks to wildlife such as entanglement and various

ailments from their ingestion. They can alter onshore environments (such as nesting areas or soil composition) as well as underwater environments (attracting toxins and affecting coral

health). It is estimated that 40% of Cairns’ remnant waste is plastics - a significant portion of the 40,000 odd tonnes Cairns households send to landfill each year.

Cairns Regional Council: More information on Council’s progress to remove single-use plastics is available online: www.cairns.qld.gov.au/plasticfree

Common Disposable Packaging Terms & Local ConsiderationsExample Common Term Term Definition Littered Impacts Disposal Considerations Recommendation

Plastics

• Generally refers to a group of fossil-fuel derived syntheticpolymers.

• Can remain in the environment for hundreds of years.

• Breaks up into smaller pieces that do not‘go away’ (E.g. One plastic bottle can breakup into 10,000 pieces of micro plastics).

• Dispose of all soft plastics in waste bin (or a specialised softplastics recycling service).

• Hard plastics can generally be recycled if clean.• Often recycled plastics are ‘down cycled’ into lower value

products, with high energy input.• Less than 9% of plastics are recycled in Australia.

Avoid

May be suitable to usein applications where

littering is unlikely

Degradable&

Oxy-DegradablePlastic

• Generally refers to a group of fossil-fuel derived syntheticpolymers.

• Degradable & Oxy-Degradable involves speeding up plasticfragmentation in presence of oxygen and sunlight.

• Often lightweight and highly mobile in theenvironment.

• Impacts the environment sooner thannormal, stable plastic items would.

• Breaks up into smaller pieces, even to the point that it is not readily seen.

• Dispose of all soft plastics in waste bin (or a specialised softplastics recycling service).

• Hard plastic oxy-degradable products should not go intorecycling because they contain an additive that couldcontaminate the other stable recyclable plastics, potentiallycausing them to degrade.

Avoid

Landfill Biodegradable

Plastic

• A plastic containing an additive which could attractmicrobes in a biologically active landfill.

• Presents a risk to the environment like anyother plastic.

• Claims are not certified or tested in a live landfill• Requires a biologically active landfill, those in the Far North

Queensland region are not.• Can be recycled in general recycling.

Avoid

No proven benefit tothe environment for the

premium price

Styrofoam

(PS)

• Closed-cell Expanded Polystyrene Foam made from fossil fuel derived synthetic polymers.

• Lightweight and highly mobile in theenvironment. Floating ability increaseslikelihood of ingestion by marine life.

• Non-recyclable and no known specialist services operating inCairns. Avoid

BiodegradableBio-plastics

(PLA)

• Derived from plant materials, not petroleum products.• Capable of being naturally degradable into a biogas.

Certification: Commercial Composting• May or may not be certified to Australian Standards. If

certified: it is capable of being biodegraded at elevatedtemperatures in soil, under specific conditions and timescales, usually only possible at commercial composters.

• Highly mobile when littered - lasts several years in a marine environment.

• Breaks up into smaller pieces.

• Dispose of in waste bin (Commercial composting occurs in CairnsRegional Council).

• Cannot be recycled in Australia(Hard, clear biodegradable products are often confused withsynthetic plastics and if put in the recycling bin, contaminatesthe recycling of those plastics.)

• Often products are a mix of paper and lined with PLA which ispreferable to PET plastic lining.

Avoid wherepossible, use

where necessary

Home Compostable

• Derived from plant materials, often like wood, bamboo or sugarcane.

• May or may not be sustainably sourced• May be a mix and lined with wax or a small amount of PLA

Certification: Home Composting• May be certified to Australian Standard (AS 5810—2010)

for home composting.

• Environmental impact and persistence inthe environment is generally vastly lesscompared to bio-plastics and plastics.

• Dispose of in waste bin (commercial composting occurs inCairns Regional Council) or home compost

Preferred

Environmental Impacts: Single-use plastics are amongst the most littered items documented in clean ups around Cairns and present risks to wildlife such as entanglement and various

ailments from their ingestion. They can alter onshore environments (such as nesting areas or soil composition) as well as underwater environments (attracting toxins and affecting coral

health). It is estimated that 40% of Cairns’ remnant waste is plastics - a significant portion of the 40,000 odd tonnes Cairns households send to landfill each year.

Cairns Regional Council: More information on Council’s progress to remove single-use plastics is available online: www.cairns.qld.gov.au/plasticfree

• NQ Supplies