28 March, 2024
Search
Close this search box.
Canterbury-Bankstown Mayoral Message

Date

Spread the love

Dear Resident,

We’re all aware of the three R’s when we refer to education. But I’m seeing the three R’s differently when it comes to phasing out single-use plastics.

When it comes to the changes by the NSW Government, I prefer the three R’s – Reduce, Reuse and Recycle.

The new bans will mean our shop shelves will start to look a little different. Instead of being inundated with multiple plastic items on every shelf, our supermarkets have entered a brand-new phase of sustainability.

The purge has already started with the banning of lightweight plastic bags, and Woolies the first to announce the scrapping of its 15 cent reusable shopping bags.

By November, the Government’s ban will be enforced and no longer will we see plastic straws, cutlery, stirrers, cotton buds, plates and bowls on our shelves. Many of these disposable items provide a few minutes of convenience, but cause years of environmental damage.

This might come as a shock to some shoppers who rely on the bags to carry their groceries. But there’s no need to worry… paper and cloth bags will still be available to purchase if you aren’t already stocked up.

While this announcement is a welcome change for our environment, Council has been leading the way over many years. In 2018, we committed to a staged phase out of single-use plastics in all of our facilities and at our events.

It started with the BLaKC Café in Bankstown rewarding customers with a discount when they bring their own reusable mug. We’ve been sourcing biodegradable containers and bamboo cutlery for food samples at all of our events. And this year, the plan is for our Bankstown Bites Food Festival to be 100% plastic free!

There are steps we can all take to use less plastic in our everyday lives. To find out how, visit cb.city/BeatPlasticPollution
So, let’s all choose to make the right choice for our environment during this month of Plastic Free July.
Yours sincerely,

Clr Khal Asfour
MAYOR

About the Author

More
articles