Phasing out single-use plastics

• State Government Ban

  The recent announcement from the Victorian Government ban on seven key single-use plastic items beginning February 2023 has gone a long way to helping Victorians move away from our reliance on many single-use plastic items.

  The State has banned for sale or supply:

  • Drinking straws
  • Cutlery
  • Plates
  • Drink stirrers
  • Cotton bud sticks
  • Expanded polystyrene food service items
  • Expanded polystyrene drink containers.

  The Shire is dedicated to leading our community by also phasing out:

• drinkware, coffee cups, bottled water containers
• takeaway containers, individual condiments
• balloons, glitter
• cling wrap, individually wrapped items.

We are encouraging local food businesses to go single-use plastic free too. With the Victorian Government announcing a ban on certain single-use plastic items from February 2023, the transition has well and truly begun to reduce and eliminate single-use plastics.

If you want to start using reusable containers, we have a handy Reusable Container Food Safety Fact File from our Food Safety Team that gives you all the tips.  You might want to try Green Caffeen also, an eco-friendly coffee solution for our region. Businesses, visitors and locals alike can get involved with the free swap and go reusable cup program to help reduce the community’s reliance on single-use coffee cups.

A great way to get support is to join the Plastic Free Mornington Peninsula program. This program is making it easy for local food retailers to transition away from providing plastic takeaway items such as cutlery, straws, takeaway containers and coffee cups. For more information and to register interest, please head to www.wastewisepeninsula.org/join.

Sports clubs within the Shire have until February 2023 to phase out single-use plastics, in line with the State Government ban.  Eliminating single-use plastic may seem challenging but there are simple changes your club can start to make. We will then support clubs to implement some of the more complex changes.

Step 1:

Initially, clubs are asked to make a voluntary pledge and display this icon on their website, and a poster in their clubrooms.  This will be emailed to you through the Community Sports Development Office.

Next, use the Single-use-plastics-plan(PDF, 429KB) to audit your club and find out where these problematic plastics are.  This can be done by a committee member, parent or player. 

Step 2: 

Identify which plastics you will phase out first, they don't need to be done all at once.  Use the plan and  Single-use plastics guidelines(PDF, 1MB) for ideas and inspiration.

Step 3:

Email your single-use plastics plan to our Zero Waste Officer on waste@mornpen.vic.gov.au.  You are on your way! You can then proudly display the SUP free sports club poster(PDF, 554KB) to share your achievements with your sporting community, and influence change. 

What simple changes can your club make to start reducing single-use plastic?

• Don’t offer plastic straws, if you need them at all use paper straws
• Sell reusable drink bottles or provide jugs of water at the bar or canteen, with reusable cups
• Use paper plates instead of plastic, and use wooden cutlery or reduce waste by providing reusable crockery
• Transition plastic bottled soft drinks over to available alternatives, such as cans.

Plastic Free July

Responsible Cafes

Marine Conservation

Waste Wise Peninsula

Take 3 For The Sea 

The Policy applies to:

• all Shire business (staff, leases and contracts)
• all Shire sponsored activities; and
• all individuals, groups or organisations planning to use, hire and/or lease Council owned or managed sites.

 We have developed the Single-use plastics plan(PDF, 429KB)to help you identify which plastics you can phase out.