Single use packaging, reusables, reduce waste

BYO Container – why the mission isn’t straight forward …

hospitality packaging reusables single use packaging Dec 20, 2024

It’s that most wonderful time of year, when Australians get their ‘festive’ on, and are out and about in the sun, surf and ripping up dance floors.

All this frolicking can equal more takeaways and treats on the go outdoors with loved ones, and you know what that (potentially) means …. more single use packaging.

And single use packaging, whilst useful for convenience, is a pain in our planet's you know what.

Single use packaging causes two main environmental issues:

The first is that it is designed to be disposable, en mass. We use resources like fibre (paper and cardboard) and oil (plastic), water, labour and then fuel to transport it all over the world, to only then be used for a few minutes and discarded, so we are not valuing the materials for very long.

The second, is that at end of life, most takeaway packaging (coffee cups, ice creams cups and spoons, food packaging etc) do not have a home in our recycling system, either because of the materials they are manufactured from, and or they are contaminated with food.

So where does that leave us?

Following the principles of the Circular Economy, as much as possible, we aim to reduce our dependence on anything designed for single use, then create systems that keep necessary packaging in use, reusing them over and over as much as possible.

Sounds simple? Well … to a point. On the reduction side, getting an ice cream in a cone, or asking for your smoothie without a lid and straw are great places to start.

As an avid, and long term Keep Cup user, this is another cracker action you can take.

Been 'Keep Cuppn' since they were first invented right here in Australia

Having said that, the best reusable, is the one you actually reuse. Lately I am seeing a worrying trend on social media of people buying multiple reusable smoothie and coffee cups, then bragging how sustainable they are. Ironic at best.

To settle any curiosity, multiple third-party verified ISO-aligned life cycle assessments (LCA) demonstrate that a reusable Keep Cup reduces carbon emissions compared to single-use after only 8 uses*

The times are changing, with policy set to catch up

With growing awareness around single use packaging, and following the invention and take up of the home grown ‘Keep Cup’ for coffees years ago, we’re starting to see the BYO container movement.

Whilst Australian policy* has resulted in single use plastics being replaced with other solutions ('material switching'), if we look to the EU, some very interesting rules, provisionally agreed on, include:

❌ Banning certain single use plastic packaging (accommodation toiletries, café/ restaurants portions) and final distributors of beverages and take-away food will need to:

🍴 Offer customers the option of BYO container

✅ Endeavour to offer 10% of products in a reusable packaging by 2030

Wow!

Helping other legends get on board

I’ll be on my annual pilgrimage to the Woodford Folk Festival, Jinibara Country, very soon. I’ll be joining forces with legendary Site Manager Chris Shervey and Head of Garbology Craig Miller, to chat all things waste at this incredible event and “collision of everything that is awesome” – Harley Breen.

L - R: Last year Chris and Craig gave a very informative, entertaining and transparent talk on exactly what it takes to manage all the materials that come onto the Site. A pretty graphic Woodford made for this year, and Chris and I during the Festival.

My role in this year's talk is to help Woodfordians understand where we can all take action to reduce waste (my favourite topic, how convenient).

And one of the solutions I’ll be discussing is BYO container. Having spent a long time as an ordinary citizen doing this, but also working extensively with the hospitality, property and retail sector, I want to offer my multiple perspectives.

Here are some of the frequent themes and comments that arise:

The perception that it’s cheaper for the retailer, and hence, a 'no brainer'

When considering the physical packaging in isolation, technically yes, if you use your own, they save a bit of money on the cost of the single use containers.

Having said that, packaging is generally bought in huge bulk quantities, and is only a few cents per item. So they won’t exactly be rolling in it.

The Retailer said no, and I am frustrated …

There are a multitude of reasons why your BYO container may not be accepted.

It can cost the retailer, in other ways, in time for example if it disrupts their operations.

I also bear in mind that the hospitality is very transient, staff turnover is high, and English is not always the first language, so communicating a sometimes ‘bizarre’ request may be doubly difficult.

The other thing I find is sometimes it’s just the first time someone asks, and takes some getting used to.

This year I just asked if I could have my Japanese Udon in my own container. The server said no, I politely asked why, and in that exchange the chef overheard and said it’s fine.

Et voila!

Conversations are key. You never know where a polite "May I ask why?" will get you.

Portion Sizes

I’ve also found the server can have concern over making sure the equivalent portion size is served up – e.g. for salads, and especially if your container is significantly larger or smaller than theirs.

I’ve found just reassuring them I’m not going to be upset if it isn’t exactly the same size can work wonders.

Too Late! It’s pre-packed

Ahhhhh nooooooo! Arrived and the food is already in those little plastic tubs? Yes annoying. In the retailer is quiet and they’re still prepping, again, simply asking if you can have it in your own container can work. But this one can be a pain to get around.

Hygiene

Hospitality retailers have a duty to ensure their premises and the food they serve us is fresh and safe. So I do empathise with those who do not want to wash dirty keep cups and containers presented to them, if we want to use them, we need to take responsibility and keep them clean!

And in a Festival environment, with hundreds of thousands of people camping in the Queensland sun, and no hot water and dishwashing facilities, this can be a challenge.

And it is in no-one’s best interest to have a dose of gastro wreaking havoc on our good times.

There is no dishwasher in sight

Sadly, over the years as floor space in retail outlets becomes scarcer and more expensive, I've seen a decline in the number of dishwashers installed in retail tenancies. I had also seen the last few sculleries in Shopping Centres disappear, meaning there is no centralised hub for collecting, washing and re-distributing reusables. Whilst working with property owners and operators I have tried to ensure washing facilities are incorporated into designs and fitouts, retained in renovations, and strengthened in lease clauses, but this can be a fight! And this is where good Government policy could step in, working systemically with the retail and property sector in unison - it is a system!

So where does that leave us?

Approaching this topic, with the acceptance it isn't always going to work is helpful.

I have been refused my Keep Cup twice the past few years, once in Thredbo and once on the Gold Coast. In these situations I politely ask ‘why’? And bear in mind the teenager behind the serving counter is not the actual decision maker or who sets the policy, so kindness is key.

Both times, no reason was given aside “we just don’t” – so I took my Keep Cup and found an another Café who did accept it.

I vote with your dollars!

Keep experimenting

But! This year I have challenged the times when I might have shied away, my friend Abbey and I lugged bowls and cutlery to a Poke outlet, and they said yes!

Ladies who lunch. Poke in the park with my gorgeous friend and community builder, Abbey Pantano.

I was surprised and stoked. They were quiet though, I did wonder how this would go in their outlet in Redfern which has a 10 metre queue in peak periods.

Dining in, and selecting a venue that offers meals in reusables, can largely solve this problem, acknowledging this can be hard to find in places.

How to find the easy wins …

Look for opportunities where it’s simple for the server to just pop it straight in your container – at the Woodford Folk Festival this includes things like Donuts, Empanadas etc.

Back in everyday life, I find that transactions where the servers don’t have to do any weighing work well – e.g. bakery items

This year for Plastic Free July, I had a brainwave and had a crack at getting my BBQ chicken in a reusable container, rather than that ‘plastic handbag’ they seem to now come in in the Supermarket.

I tried at the Deli outside the Supermarket – no dramas and 1 cent cheaper!

I tried at the Supermarket, and had another win, but only because they were taking the chooks out of the oven.

My chook win. But only as my timing happened to be right.

In conclusion … give it a crack - small actions add up!

It’s a great thing to do, but sometimes it just doesn’t work, and I’m not too hard on myself if the system doesn’t provide, I tried!

It’s not on all of us as individuals to solve our waste woes, and good policy from Government and innovation and responsibility from business need to compliment our actions.

But when we do all score the wins, the cumulative effect is significant. If just the Woodfordians who turn up to our talk avoid just one piece of single use packaging over he Festival, that at least 3 bins worth of packaging the Festival doesn't to deal with - less for the volunteers who run the show to lug about!

So keep going and have fun!

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Bel is a devoted circular economist, donut addict and designs waste of systems, every chance she can get!

You can catch Bel chatting all things single use packaging avoidance on ABC Radio Nightlife, with host Suzanne Hill – who also took the pledge for Plastic Free July in 2024!