Tweed Shire Council is developing a Single Use Materials and Packaging Policy and we're seeking your feedback.

We want 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 27 June 2025.

Policy scope

This policy seeks to replace single use materials such as disposable plates, cutlery, cups and packaging (plastic or otherwise) 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 implementation 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

Single use materials - individuals