Northern Rivers pushes to cut single-use products

LOCAL councils, schools, event organisers and businesses across the Northern Rivers are working to phase out single-use products.

North East Waste education coordinator Linda Tohver said the focus was on takeaway food packaging such as coffee cups, plates and bowls that are often marketed as “compostable” or “biodegradable”.

“None of these items can be placed in green bins, they’re not recyclable and many contain plastic and nasty chemicals,” she said.

“They’re used for a few minutes but their environmental impact lasts for many years.”

North East Waste is urging food businesses and event managers to replace single-use items with reusable products, and to encourage customers to bring their own cups and containers for takeaway food and drinks.

Reusable cups and plates are helping Northern Rivers events cut down on waste. Photo: SUPPLIED.

“We’ve come so far with banning single-use plastic bags across Australia, but it’s time to step it up and put the planet before convenience culture,” Tohver said.

“The Northern Rivers is already leading the way in transitioning to reusables and setting an example for the rest of regional NSW.”

Events including Byron Farmers Markets, Byron Writers Festival and Love Lennox Festival have introduced reusable cups, plates and bowls washed on-site in commercial dishwashers.

Love Lennox Festival 2025 co-director and Business Lennox Head vice-president Alexander Sharkey said the event saved more than 3,000 single-use items from landfill by switching to reusables.

Community initiatives are reducing thousands of disposable items from landfill. Photo: SUPPLIED

“The response from festivalgoers was overwhelmingly positive, and it’s inspired us to make sustainability a core focus as we plan for Love Lennox 2026,” Sharkey said.

Byron Shire Council has also banned single-use food and drink packaging at events on council-owned land and in its facilities, while Ballina Shire Council is preparing to eliminate single-use plastics across council operations.

The transition to reusables is funded by the NSW Environment Protection Authority through the waste levy as part of the state government’s waste and sustainable materials strategy.

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