Peddling recycle message
Browns in early for top deals Campaign designed to prepare retailers for total ban on plastic bags
BARGAIN hunters John and Lilly Brown were on the front line of Cairns Regional Council’s war on waste as they sifted through the Buy Back Shop.
The Redlynch fatherdaughter duo are regulars at the Cairns Regional Council’s Portsmith transfer station, always on the lookout for a deal.
A bicycle for Lilly, 13, and a chook pen were on the shopping list yesterday.
“I wish we’d heard about it sooner. We moved here and bought things for more money,” Mr Brown said.
The Buy Back Shop has diverted more than 600 tonnes of waste from landfill this financial year, with council officers predicting it will turn its first profit in 2016-17. Those funds will be recycled back into the facility, which has increased purchases by 29 per cent since it was upgraded in November 2015.
Water and waste committee chairman Cr Richie Bates said the shop was about cutting waste, not making money.
“The value is in making sure people are going in there and walking out with stuff,” he said.
The shop is open ThursdaySunday from 8.30am-5pm. SHOPPERS will have to get used to life without plastic bags as the Queensland Government pushes for elimination by mid-2018.
Environment Minister Steven Miles said a campaign will be launched by the National Retail Association to let retailers know about the changes.
“Around 900 million singleuse, lightweight plastic shopping bags are used each year and up to 16 million bags are thrown away, ending up in our waterways, beaches parks,” Mr Miles said.
“Shopping bag litter is an eyesore, and … can take thousands of years to break down.” and
He said workshops will be run for retailers to help the sector understand what they need to do in the future.
“While the legislation will be introduced mid-2017, the ban won’t commence until 1 July, 2018,” Mr Miles said.
He said the laws had bipartisan support in Parliament.