The banners are made into reuseable tote bags and soft plastics like chip packets, are recycled into fences in Milperra and Birrong.
And leading the charge is the Canterbury Bankstown Council which is breathing new life into its plastic waste and turning it into another’s treasure.
During Plastic Free July, the council is diving into making the City more sustainable, donating 500 polyester banners to community co-op Reverse Garbage for re-use.
Weighing more than 50 kilograms, the old event banners could have a second-life as new artworks, or up-cycled into bags. Since 2018, the council has turned banners into 839 reusable tote bags and 400 waste bags for dog-walkers.
Mayor Khal Asfour says the council practises what it preaches, and the donation of its banners was just one way the City is encouraging re-use and recycling of plastics.
“We’re all staying safe at home and that means we’re using less single-use plastics and that’s the silver-lining for our environment,” he said.
“I’m proud to say before the lockdown, council employees were recycling their soft plastics, which are like bread wrappers or chip packets, through REDcycle at Bankstown Woolworths.
“Over two months, one floor alone collected almost 800 individual pieces of soft plastic which get recycled and used in community equipment like fences. You can find fences made of recycled plastic in our own City in Birrong and Milperra.
“It’s been a difficult month and although we’re at home, let’s not forget that the small changes we make for the environment at home make a big impact.”
Plastic Free July is an initiative run by the Plastic Free Foundation for a world without plastic waste.
For more information on what the council does to reduce single-use plastics, visit cb.city/BeatPlasticPollution.
