Of recent, we have seen the banning of plastic bags and the phasing out of plastic straws in Australia. What about disposable takeaway containers? Despite the convenience of disposable ware, there is little to celebrate. Whilst there has been some discussion around disposable coffee cups, it seems to have gone off the radar for many, but evidently, is still an unresolved issue. The impact of disposable ware on the environment is astronomical. The destruction of forests and the increase of waste is evident. Disposable cups and takeaway containers simply end up in landfill, taking anywhere between 10 to 100 years to decompose.
In the early 70’s, in most of Australia, there were 2 takeaway options; Chinese takeaway and fish and chips. The Chinese takeaway was put into your own pots and pans, which were brought down to the restaurant and the fish and chips were placed in newspaper. Today, we receive copious amounts of plastic containers and use disposable dishes for convenience.
There is hope in disposable dishes yet. Many companies are implementing sustainable packaging, which is made of edible materials such as bran, sugar cane and potatoes, consequently being compostable and biodegradable resources. This is a good option even if you don’t want to chomp on your plate after a meal!
Of course, with any environmental bearing there is pros and cons. Removing disposable packaging may have its own impact on the hospitality industry. Will buying takeaway food products result in higher prices to cover the biodegradable packaging varieties? What will happen to take-away stores and cafes if there is no longer the option of takeaway packaging?
Nonetheless, the shift in removing plastic from our everyday lives is a worthy one. The world is moving in the right direction, although at a slow pace. Start by taking a travel cup for your morning café run or bring your own containers next time you get take-out food! We hope to see options for everyone, especially in hospitality, to improve our carbon footprint while sustaining the industry.