Macedon Ranges’ war on waste

The war on waste has ramped up across the region, with Macedon Ranges Council considering banning single-use plastics at council events.

The war on waste has ramped up across the Macedon Ranges with possible bans on single-use plastics at council-run or sponsored events.

The ban could extend to water bottles, drinks, signs and disposable items like gloves.

Cr Natasha Gayfer said the council had the opportunity to explore local solutions.

“Plastics pollution is just growing and it’s just going to get worse. We need to find ways to work on it as a whole community,” she said.

“I think that plastics use in general is front of mind.”

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The motion put forward at the most recent council meeting means the plan will form part of the 2019/20 budget deliberations.

If advanced as part of the budget, a waste education officer would be employed to help oversee the project and the council would undertake a community education campaign.

“It’s council setting the example and then extending that to organisations that we fund or sponsor, and then events held on our land or in our facilities as a way of encouraging groups beyond council to think about their use of single-use plastics,” Cr Gayfer said.

Cr Helen Radnedge said the proposal was “worthy of support”.

“If council is phasing out single-use plastics, it makes no sense that we would be funding others to use them,” she said.