ENCOURAGING AN INDUSTRY-LED TRANSITION FROM SINGLE-USE COFFEE CUPS IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PLASTIC FREE NOOSA · Attachment 1 - 2025-06-19 Notice of Motion - Cr Lorentson - Transition from single-use coffee cups

The 2023 “Your Say” consultation on Noosa’s Waste Plan confirmed strong public support for initiatives that protect oceans, reduce plastic pollution, and encourage responsible business practices. Respondents also called for greater leadership from Council in tackling waste at its source. Supporting a voluntary transition away from single-use cups directly responds to this feedback. It also aligns with the Sustainable Practices actions in Noosa’s Destination Management Plan, which seeks to reinforce our reputation as an environmentally responsible and future-ready destination. Other regions offer promising examples: ° Bermagui, NSW became the first Australian town where all cafés voluntarily phased out single- use cups - saving over 70,000 cups and $12,500 for participating businesses. ° Byron Shire has eliminated single-use plastics from Council-run venues and events. Noosa can be the first in Queensland to demonstrate this kind of progress through voluntary, industry-led, community supported action. Ex-Cyclone Alfred reminded us how vulnerable we are to plastic pollution. But it also revealed our strength. Our community turned out in droves for beach cleanups. Kids sifted sand for microplastics. Cafés trialled reusable cup systems. The appetite for change is here, we just need to harness it. Plastic Free Noosa has laid the groundwork. With many local business members and more than 160,000 kilograms of plastic avoided, their community-first model works. This motion strengthens our partnership with them to accelerate local change. Tourism Noosa Plastic Free is a program supported by a Noosa Council Multi-Year Environment Grant valued at $66,948 annually. The grant is for three years, with 2025/26 being the final year. The Plastic Free Noosa program was initially a pilot program through joint efforts of Noosa Council and Tourism Noosa as part of Boomerang Alliance Plastic free program, with the pilot being a success it was handed over to the Noosa community in 2019 and is now managed by Tourism Noosa and funded by Council via Council’s grant program. Plastic Free Noosa has already demonstrated its leadership in this area. The recent Noosa Eat and Drink Festival was the first single-use coffee cup-free event, held in collaboration with Sunshine Social founder, Ben Clarke. Attendees could grab a cup, return it to a designated station, where it was washed and reused up to 1000 times. This initiative is a prime example of leading the transition and shows the practical steps we can take to reduce plastic waste. This is the kind of innovation we want to encourage. That’s why Council's role is not to impose change, but to create the environment where it becomes easier and more attractive for businesses to make that shift - on their own terms and timelines. This shift is not just about business; it’s also about who we are as a community. Inspiring change among residents and visitors is essential to long-term sustainability. Programs like this are not only environmentally responsible, they are vital to responsible destination management, helping to ensure Noosa remains a place people want to live in, visit, and respect. Council focus will be: e Supporting Tourism Noosa's Plastic Free Noosa Program and working in close partnership with Plastic Free Noosa to deliver a voluntary, industry-led shift away from single-use coffee cups across the shire. ° Collaboratively developing with Plastic Free Noosa a simple, scalable plan and program, focusing on education, business support, and behaviour change initiatives. ° Exploring ways to support participation, especially for small and independent operators, including through access to information, networking, and potential incentives. ° Leading by example in Council-run venues and events, such as the Noosa Aquatic Centre and Leisure Centre, where reusable cup trials can demonstrate what’s possible and help build community confidence. Working closely with Plastic Free Noosa allows Council to build on strong local momentum, supporting a trusted, communhity-led initiative already delivering results across the shire. Their close relationships with local businesses make them ideally placed to help drive this transition.