Single Use Materials and Packaging Policy
Tweed Shire Council is developing a Single Use Materials and Packaging Policy and we're seeking your feedback.
We're hoping to understand the current practices and challenges faced by event organisers, venues and groups in reducing single-use materials and other disposable items. Your feedback will:
- inform targeted policies to reduce single-use materials
- enable development of tailored guidelines for event organisers, activities and community groups
- complement delivery of ‘uniquely Tweed’ events that showcase our natural environment and reflect the guiding principle of sustainable event practices
- support our community in avoiding waste from single use materials.
We will be conducting a mix of face-to-face interviews and online surveys.
The survey will be open until Friday 30 May 2025.
Policy scope
This policy seeks to replace single use materials such as disposable plates, cutlery, cups and packaging from:
- Council offices, meetings and operations
- Council sponsored events
- Licensed events and activities on Council owned land and venues
The policy may apply to the following items:
Items not permitted | Possible alternatives |
| All plastic bags (including thicker supermarket style bags. Only bin liners certified compostable AS 4736-2006 should be used where necessary) | Fabric bags, crates and boxes only Certified green bin bags and bags for pet waste and nappies permitted |
| Straws | Straws not offered unless requested (or for disability requirements) Where required, straws are bamboo or paper based products (not plastic), or reusable silicone or metal straws (BYO) |
| Plates, bowls, platters (including "compostable", and fibre-based materials) | Reusable, washable plates and bowls. Select venue with washing facilities and adequate supply of reusable materials, or investigate hire. |
| Food containers (takeaway) | Investigate deposit and return scheme for reusables |
| Drink stirrer | Avoid or reusable spoons |
| Cutlery | Reusable cutlery that can be washed |
| Drinkware | Reusale and washable cups and tumblers, glassware or plastic |
| Bottled water* | BYO water bottles or glasses Exemptions possible where potable water not available |
| Coffee cups and lids | Reusable options or BYO |
| Accessory foodware items (Individually wrapped sugar, coffee, tea bags containing plastic, salt & pepper, soy sauce, other sauces and condiments, individual portioned spreads or cup sleeves) | Condiments available on request, or included in food at point of sale (e.g. sugar added to tea/coffee by barista). |
| Cling film/plastic wrap | Containers with lids Cover in foil or paper wrap (recyclable) Boxes |
| Napkins/serviettes | Offer napkins on request Smaller sized napkins Cloth napkins |
| Promotional items/merchandise (single use, plastic, disposable) | Avoid where possible Ensure meaningful, natural, reusable and lasting gifts |
| Coffee pods | Reusable/refillable pods if machines are currently in use. Instant coffee, plunger coffee, espresso machine |
| Balloons & decorations | Already banned in public places in the Tweed. |
The policy would propose a phased approach to allow events, groups and activities time to plan and adapt.
Background to the policy
Strategic objective 1.6 of the Towards Zero Waste strategy targets a 25% reduction in waste generation, with action 1.6c targeting the ban of single use plastic items (straws, cups, stirrers, cutlery and takeaway containers) across all Council facilities and events in the medium term (3-5 years). In the Tweed, bans on these items fall into line with state-based legislation, which came into effect from November 2022.
While common single use plastics listed above have largely been removed from the waste stream, in many cases these have been replaced with other single use materials, such as cardboard, ‘eco-friendly’ materials such as fibre/sugarcane plates and other ‘compostable’ materials. In most cases, these items can not be recycled and end up in landfill.
An example of the impact of single use:
- 50,000 takeaway coffee cups are thrown out every 30 minutes; 90% go to landfill.
- If we reduced takeaway coffee cups by 30%, business would save $104m; 1,650 tonnes of plastic would be avoided; 11,250 tonnes of timber would be saved
Pilot audit
In 2024, North East Waste audited a small market held in Murwillumbah. This event included 1 food vendor, 1 sweets vendor, 1 coffee vendor, 1 juice vendor and a semi-indoor cafe pavillion. Four (4) general waste bins were audited at the event, with waste items counted and sorted. A selection of event attendees were surveyed.
Summary of results:
- 94% said they consumed on-site, and the remainder said a combination of both on-site and off-site
- 41% said they had brought a water bottle with them
- knowledge about what bin certain single use items should go in was low - all respondents said food-soiled fibre-based packaging and cups could go in recycling, only 11% answered correctly for cutlery and bioplastics in landfill
- 40% of respondents said they would agree to reusables if supplied free of charge; 34% said they needed further information; 11% didn’t mind paying a deposit for reusables as long as it was returned to them
