February 11, 2020

Elsternwick Village businesses go plastic free in bid to reduce waste

Businesses in Elsternwick Village are going plastic free, with 18 cafes, restaurants and stores now working to cut down on plastic waste such as coffee cups and straws.

Elsternwick Village was the first community in Victoria to join the Plastic Free Places trial program, which is run by Glen Eira City Council and supported by the Boomerang Alliance.

The six-month trial began in October 2019 and Glen Huntly Rd traders have been working hard to eliminate single-use plastic items, provide more sustainable options and raise awareness of the issue.

“The six-month trial will help us understand how we can best support businesses in Glen Eira go plastic free,” said Glen Eira Mayor Cr Margaret Esakoff.

Most of the participating businesses are educating the public about cutting plastic waste by displaying educational posters and postcards throughout their stores.

Businesses are also trying to remove a range of plastic items from their stores, including takeaway containers, cutlery and water bottles.

The One Korea, Tokyo Deli and Hannoi Hannah have gone a step further by partnering with Returnr, which is a swap-and-go service that replaces single-use takeaway packaging with reusable solutions.

In addition to eliminating plastic coffee cups, lids and other single-use items, Bang Bang is working on composting its food waste and compostable packaging.

Local traders have also been phasing out lightweight plastic bags after the Victorian government implemented a state-wide ban in November 2019.

Glo Health and Blights Shoe Repairs have eliminated thicker plastic bags from their stores, while Dalgarno’s and Glo Health have started selling reusable bags.

The Elsternwick Mainstreet Committee recently supplied traders in the area with branded hessian bags to offer to customers as a plastic-free alternative.

“The Elsternwick Mainstreet Committee supports the move towards plastic-free trading, and we hope our shoppers reuse the hessian bags that we have supplied to do their shopping,” said committee president Daniel Eustace.

Going plastic free doesn’t happen overnight though, with traders taking about three months to make the switch on average, according to the Boomerang Alliance.

The alliance noted that many businesses still needed to work through old plastic stock before transitioning to more sustainable alternatives.

“Change isn’t always easy, but if we work together, we can achieve a sustainable future,” said Cr Esakoff.

The following businesses in Elsternwick Village are currently participating in the plastic-free program:

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