Plastic Bag Free Raglan is expanding its kaupapa and they want your help for a new name.
The next step in the journey to eliminate single-use plastic is supporting Whaingaora businesses and the wider community with a database of affordable and locally tested compostable takeaway products.
PBFR project lead Amanda Moxey and Xtreme Zero Waste education and communications manager Nenya Chapman say Raglan is ready after a successful community initiative to significantly reduce single-use plastic shopping bags.
The pair acknowledge many of Raglan’s businesses have already embraced the next step, introducing non-plastic items such as cups, containers, cutlery and straws, and they say the research they do will give businesses confidence to make the best environmental choices.
Thanks to partnership with The Packaging Forum’s Public Place Recycling Scheme, the PBFR team are surveying business needs, researching reusables and locally testing compostables in Xtreme Zero Waste’s hot composting unit to create a compostable resource pack.
“Business owners are busy and suppliers are promoting a huge range of new products. We aim to work with both to find genuinely compostable options that suit Raglan,” Nenya says.
Not all compostables are created equal, they say, and research, checking (international) standard certification and testing, is the best way forward to enable Raglan to become single-use plastic free.
As with PBFR, when the new project-phase is launched, businesses offering products from the local compostable resource database will be accredited with certification to display at their premises.
They both agree composting is a good solution to reduce plastic in the environment, oceans and waste-to-landfill but the project’s ultimate vision is for Raglan to become about ‘reusable everything’.
PBFR are grateful to Meridian Energy, LJ Hooker and the Raglan Sign Company for their support with the new sign at the roundabout reminding people heading into our town, to Keep our seas plastic free and Remember our Reusables.
Help PBFR on the next phase of the journey with ideas for a new name to reflect their kaupapa – could it be Single Use Plastic Free Raglan’ SUPFR, ‘Plastic Free Raglan’ PFR, ‘Reusable Raglan’ RUR – let them know your idea on the PBFR Facebook page or email plasticbagfreeraglan@gmail.com.
Janine Jackson
