01 Jul ACTA 2017 Sustainability Forum – Sydney
The Australian Coffee Traders Association sponsored Industry Forum – Building A Sustainable Future, with the aim to gain better understanding of the current situation and initiate a working group to further this agenda.
Recent media coverage and increased awareness of sustainability practices are drawing the focus on the environmental impacts of disposable takeaway coffee cups.
The Australian Coffee Traders Association, as a representative industry body, and its members have a close interest in the reduction of the waste associated with our products.
There is conflicting information being presented in the media regarding the recyclability of liquid paper board coffee cups. Recent commentary by cup producers, material waste handling companies and independent non-profit organisations like Planet Ark suggest that with the correct practices of collection, sorting and processing the materials of takeaway coffee cups can be recycled.
We are aware that there needs to be a coordinated approach to establishing adequate recycling collection streams and the education of consumers to enable for efficient sorting and further processing.
In order to bring together the interested parties involved in this process, the Australian Coffee Traders Association in conjunction with other relevant industry groups, cup producers, waste handlers, environmental organisations and with the invitation to representatives of government and local councils met and discussed the next steps to promote environmental initiatives.
It was heartening to see such a wide variety of very knowledgeable industry participants joining in the conversation around Building A Sustainable Future.
Collectively there was an acknowledgment that we can all do more to deliver a better future for our industry and particularly the environment.