Bayside Council moves to ban plastics from venues, libraries and community centres

A community-led campaign to clean up Port Phillip Bay has won over an inner city council, which has vowed to ban all single use plastic from its venues. And the council wants schools, businesses and residents to follow its lead.

Bayside Council has vowed to ban all single use plastic within its venues, following a community-led campaign to clean up Port Phillip Bay.

The council will eliminate all single-use plastics within its libraries and corporate centres by June, and community centres by 2020.

They’re also encouraging schools, businesses and residents to do their part and reduce or eliminate their usage.

EPA WARNING AFTER BAY MAKES DOGS SICK

KMART, TARGET PREPARE TO DITCH BAGS

BAYSIDE COUNCIL PARKING PERMIT FINE MESS

Other Melbourne councils, including Darebin and Port Phillip, banned plastic last year, with Coles and Woolworths — and soon Kmart and Target — banning single use bags.

Bayside mayor Michael Heffernan said the tough approach was needed to get rid of plastic that typically ended up as litter.

“(This) can have devastating effects on wildlife, including birds and mammals, shellfish and fish,” he said.

“We hope that through education, the community will follow our example.”

Local environment groups, including Marine Care Ricketts Point, Sandringham Foreshore Association, and Beaumaris Conservation Society, hailed the move a win.

Marine Care Ricketts Point president Elizabeth Jensen said the ban would go a long way in saving marine life and keeping Bayside beaches safe.

Bayside Council has vowed to ban all single use plastic within its venues, following a community-led campaign to clean up Port Phillip Bay. Generic picture: Marc McCormack

Sandringham Foreshore Association president Vicki Karalis AM said there was also evidence plastic particles and associated chemicals had already entered the human food chain, through food such as mussels, which could be harmful for health.

“Council should be applauded for their leadership … and this will help reduce the amount of plastics we find on beaches,” Dr Karalis said.

Beach patrols spend hours cleaning up plastic from beaches, with 95 per cent coming from Port Phillip Bay’s rivers and stormwater drains.

Beaumaris Conservation Society president Greg Mier said he looked forward to other councils following suit.

Bayside Council is also developing a “Reducing Plastic Waste” web page as it works towards providing facilities for collection of soft flexible plastics that cannot be recycled in kerbside recycling.