Councils are implementing a new, sustainable solution to single-use disposable cups.
Launching in February 2020, a whopping 160 cafes in seven Western Sydney council areas will roll out the ‘Refill Don’t Landfill’ campaign, providing free reusable café cups for customers and joining a growing network across Australia.
Western Sydney councils have partnered on a new program with swap-and-go pioneers Green Caffeen. Using Australian-made products and supported by their app, Green Caffeen is engineering a better approach to takeaway, by rejecting the concept of waste as being part of the deal.
Cafe-goers simply drop your cup back at any participating café within 30 days and your take away coffee is clean and green; activating a circular economy and stepping away from single-use products that generate unnecessary waste.
WSROC President Barry Calvert said: “For Western Sydney councils, the problems of litter and landfill are only too real; taking up funds and extra resources to cope with the enormous problem of waste. We know our communities are keen for alternatives to the disposable approach which contributes unnecessarily to landfill.
“WSROC’s partnership with Green Caffeen on the Refill Don’t Landfill campaign gives Western Sydney residents a practical solution to single-use cups, supporting responsible conservation of resources and reducing landfill,” said Clr Calvert.
Currently, waste management in Australia faces new challenges of handling waste and pollution generated by a take, make and waste manufacture and consumption culture - in which resources are made to be discarded, rather than designed to last or recovered for re-use.
The ‘circular economy’ approach attempts to move away from the way things are currently designed and consumed, by preserving resources and designing out waste.
By using recycled materials to produce reusable cups, designed and manufactured in Australia, this Western Sydney café campaign promotes a sustainable and responsible approach to resources.
Councils participating in the Refill Don’t Landfill campaign are Blacktown City Council, Hawkesbury City, Fairfield City, Liverpool City, City of Parramatta, Penrith City and The Hills Shire council.
