Melbourne commits to fight War on Waste

The City of Melbourne has thrown its support behind the War on Waste, with a $50,000 fund to help retail and hospitality businesses reduce their impact on the environment.

In response to the environmental issues highlighted in the ABC’s War on Waste TV series, Council has endorsed a motion to increase its efforts to reduce the amount of waste being sent to landfill.

This includes launching a ‘Single-use Waste Fund’ where eligible businesses will receive up to $2,000 to reduce the usage of plastic bags, coffee cups and bottled water in their operations and services.

Chair of the City of Melbourne’s Environment Portfolio, Councillor Cathy Oke, said the small steps residents and businesses make to reduce their use of plastics can have a big impact.

“Our residents and businesses want to do their bit for the environment so we’re helping them to join the war on waste,” Cr Oke said.

“This fund will support retail and hospitality businesses to reduce the amount of waste they produce in their day-to-day operations.”

The motion also commits Council to formally advocate for a state-wide ban on single-use plastic bags and the introduction of a Container Deposit Scheme.

Small Business, Retail and Hospitality Chair Councillor Susan Riley and Cr Oke will also seek commitments from large supermarket chains, retailers and cafes within the municipality to work with us to reduce the use of single-use items.

Leroy Martin, Venue Manager at Max Watt’s, said the renowned Melbourne music venue (formerly known as the Hi Fi bar) is looking to reduce its use of plastic and would consider accessing the fund.

“People at gigs always need water but if you’re selling water bottles to hundreds of people it can create a lot of plastic. We’re looking at running a trial to reduce our reliance on plastic bottles,” Mr Martin said.

Last year the City of Melbourne installed more than 60 water fountains to make it easier for people to access free drinking water in the city and to reduce reliance on plastic bottles.

The City of Melbourne is currently developing its new Waste and Resource Recovery Plan 2018-2021, which will outline a number of programs and initiatives to increase recycling and reduce waste to landfill.

For more information on the Single-use Waste Fund is available here.