Hobart backs ban on plastic takeaway

HOBART City Council will urge the Local Government Association of Tasmania to lobby the state to ban singleuse plastic food containers and cutlery used by takeaway stores.

At a council meeting last night, the council voted in favour of the motion 10-2.

Alderman Peter Sexton left the meeting before the vote.

It’s part of a range of measures the Hobart City Council will now take to LGAT’s general meeting in July to tackle the rising costs of recycling across Tasmania.

These include urging LGAT to respond to rising recycling costs following 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 reusable and compostable items at council- sponsored events. Ald Tanya Denison, who along with Ald Marti Zucco voted against the motion, said she had issues with the removal of single-use petroleumbased plastic containers and utensils from businesses.

“I’m still not satisfied that that will not be onerous upon businesses,” she said.

“And secondly, single-use takeaway food packaging is an inert waste.”

Ald Phillip Cocker said there were alternatives to single-use plastic waste available on the market and the high costs once associated with them were no longer an issue.

Ald Bill Harvey told the Mercury a statewide ban made sense to combat the rising costs of recycling.

“This would make a huge contribution to reducing litter and plastic pollution into the environment,” he said.

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