Plan to take away plastic

A HOBART alderman is calling on the State Government to introduce legislation to ban single-use plastic food containers and cutlery used by takeaway stores.

Aldermen will vote at tonight’s council meeting on whether to submit a motion to the Local Government Association of Tasmania’s July general meeting to lobby the Government to introduce the law, which would see a ban on plastic takeaway containers, straws and cups.

It’s part of a suite of measures the Hobart City Council will consider to tackle the rising costs of recycling.

These include urging LGAT to respond to the rising recycling costs as a consequence of the Chinese Government’s decision to stop accepting the world’s recycled goods and a request for LGAT to lobby all councils to adopt the use of re- usable and compostable items for use in council sponsored events.

Last year, the council voted 10-1 to amend draft environmental health bylaws, banning single use, petroleum-based plastic containers and utensils by 2020. Alderman Bill Harvey, who supports the motion, said a statewide ban made more sense.

“Rather than do it council by council the most efficient way would be for the State Government to introduce legislation that would see the phase out and ultimate ban,” he said. “This would make a huge contribution to reducing litter and plastic pollution into the environment.

“Councils are struggling under the weight of recycling since China stopped accepting the world’s waste,” he said.

Queensland’s Ipswich City Council came under fire last week after announcing it had ditched its yellow-top bin re- cycling program and had been sending recyclable waste to landfill for a month, as a response to the China decision.

It has since backflipped and organised a short-term contractor to take the city’s recycling.

LGAT chief executive Dr Katrena Stephenson said all Tasmanian councils had a range of concerns surrounding waste management and it had provided data to the Australian Local Government Associ- ation to further this conversation at the federal level.

“At the state level, we are seeking a meeting with the state Environment Minister and have raised issues with the Treasurer because we have concerns there will be significant immediate cost impacts for councils and we want to see if they can assist in helping with those,” she said.

A State Government spokesman said it was not considering a ban.