Single Use Coffee Cups Program · Report

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PLANNING & ENVIRONMENT COMMITTEE MEETING                                         9 DECEMBER 2025



RECOMMENDATION
That Council
A. Note the report by the Sustainability and Climate Change Officer to the Planning & Environment
   Committee Meeting dated 9 December 2025;
B. Support the Single Use Coffee Cups program with in-kind contribution from existing Council staff
   resources (2-3hrs per week) to support Plastic Free Noosa to engage industry stakeholders and
   co-develop a program for the first cohort of businesses to transition to a reuse system;
C. Work closely with Tourism Noosa to prioritise the $5600.00 required to kickstart the program
   through their FY25-26 budget; and
D. Subject to C, should budget not be available, provide in kind support and a small allocation of
   funding to support the initiation and engagement phases of the program through Council’s
   Sustainability Operational budget as it aligns with the endorsed Climate Change Response Plan,
   Environment Strategy, and From Waste to Resource Plan.


REPORT
In July 2024, relevant staff across Council and Tourism Noosa began conversations around a
program to phase out single use coffee cups. The group included council staff from the waste,
economic development and sustainability and climate change teams together with staff from Tourism
Noosa and Plastic free Noosa. The group brainstormed the issue and possible approaches, including
how to deal with existing single use cups and lids and prevent them from going to landfill.

A range of options were considered including a service that collects single use cups and lids,
transports them to a processing facility where they are shredded, turned into building materials and
added into an innovative asphalt product for roads. In consultation with Peregian Beach Business
Association, Tourism Noosa put together a survey and spoke to café owners in Peregian Beach
about this concept. However, there was little interest at the time, perhaps due to timing or logistical
challenges.

Following this, it was considered that a reuse system, rather than a waste diversion system, was
more in line with the goals of the program for a cultural shift away from single use items. A number
of solutions were investigated including a very simple solution where customers can access a
reusable takeaway cup for a $3 deposit and cups can be returned to any participating café in
Australia at any time to get the deposit back. The startup cost for businesses is low and there is
evidence that there is a very quick return on investment and cost savings for businesses over time.

Following this, Plastic Free Noosa worked with Sunshine Social to pilot the reusable cups program
(with on-site dishwashing) at the Noosa Eat and Drink (NED) event. The initiative was well received
by users and vendors and will form a good foundation for festivals and events in the future.

Since then a pilot commenced at the Noosa Aquatic Centre in 2025 July with extremely positive
feedback and other business are now looking to take up the same approach. This initiative is
currently being industry-led, off the back of the NED trial.

On 19 June 2025, Council endorsed a notice of motion supporting Tourism Noosa’s Plastic Free
Noosa Program to drive a voluntary shift away from single-use coffee cups across the shire. The
motion called for a simple, scalable plan focused on education, business support, and behaviour
change, for Council to lead by example in its own operations, and for a report outlining
implementation costs for consideration. Since the notified motion, a number of conversations have
been held with reusable suppliers who have shown interest to support the roll out of reusables in
Noosa Shire. Two large scale business users of disposable coffee cups have also indicated a desire
to go single-use cup free.

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PLANNING & ENVIRONMENT COMMITTEE MEETING                                         9 DECEMBER 2025



Implementation Plan
The notified motion requests a report that details an actionable and scalable plan to support an
industry led phase out of single use coffee cups. As seen in Attachment 1, a draft strategic
implementation plan has been developed which outlines key actions across three phases of work:
   •   PHASE I - Scoping and Convening Working Group
        o This phase includes establishing a project oversight, outlining roles and responsibilities
          and initiating engagement with key service providers of coffee cup management
          systems.
   •   PHASE II-Market Research & Program Design
        o This phase includes deeper market research to summarise solution options, host a
          roundtable with industry and early adopters, survey customers and develop an internal
          rollout plan.
   •   PHASE III– Communications & Developing Resources, Graphic and Web Design
        o This phase includes developing resources for businesses and establishing a web
          presence.
   •   PHASE IV – Ongoing Consultation and Rollout Support
        o   Continued support for businesses and centres with the transition to reusable coffee cups
            and promoting successes.
Following on from the efforts of the café at the NAC, council staff, together with Plastic Free Noosa
will prioritise working with other council venues and support further investigations towards the
transition away from single use. This includes the café at the Noosa Leisure Centre and supporting
the whole organisation to move away from single use coffee cups at staff events and functions.

Council staff will also continue to push for zero waste events through an update of the events
management policy and encourage all events to go single use coffee cup free. An investment into
a mug library would help events progress in this direction.

Council Resources
It is proposed to allocate up to 3 hours per week for 6 months of staff time to assist Plastic Free
Noosa in engaging stakeholders and co-developing a reuse program for the first business cohort.
Time will be split between the Economic Development and Strategy & Sustainability branches. The
implementation timeline and the future internal rollout plan (developed at the end of Phase II) provide
further details on where Council staff time investment is needed.

Tourism Noosa Resources
Staff are available via the Plastic Free Noosa coordinator, but current budget is allocated to core
activities. Upon project commencement, Council and Tourism Noosa will define roles and
responsibilities to ensure adequate resourcing and commitment.

Funding
Additional funding is required for engagement and research to advance Phase II and Phase III. Refer
to Finance section below and implementation plan for further details.


Link to Corporate Plan
Theme No. 3 - Prosperity
Focus areas include economic development, local business, innovation, arts and culture, waste and
a circular economy.
Objective 3.7 Deliver the waste program focused on accelerating actions and solutions including
circular economy opportunities to cut waste and pollution, keep products and materials in use and
regenerate natural systems.

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PLANNING & ENVIRONMENT COMMITTEE MEETING                                          9 DECEMBER 2025


Theme No. 4 - Future
This theme is focused on our future, strengthening our relationship with First Nations peoples and to
ensure our community is prepared and resilient to change. A focus on youth, climate resilience and
adaptation, sense of place and destination management.
Objective 4.7 Fund and implement the Climate Change Response Plan to support Council,
community and the local economy to build resilience and preparedness for climate risks and to
achieve net-zero emissions by 2026.

This work advances a number of Council's Sustainability Principles in the Corporate Plan, particularly
(1) Resources are sustainably managed so that the lifestyle and wellbeing of the community is
enhanced whilst safeguarding our natural systems and without compromising the ability of future
generations to meet their own needs and (3) Noosa’s economy is prosperous, resilient, circular,
diverse, and protective of its unique environment, culture and heritage.




Previous Council Consideration
Ordinary Meeting Minutes 19 June 2025
That Council:
A. Support Tourism Noosa's Plastic Free Noosa Program and work in close partnership with Plastic
   Free Noosa to deliver a voluntary, industry-led shift away from single-use coffee cups across the
   shire;
B. Collaboratively develop with Plastic Free Noosa a simple, scalable plan and program, focusing
   on education, business support, and behaviour change initiatives;
C. Demonstrate leadership for this shift away from single-use coffee cups within its own operations;
   and
D. Request a report to Council detailing any costs associated with the implementation of this
   initiative for Council consideration and endorsement.


Finance
The costs to rollout the current program as outlined in the implementation plan are included below.
Note this does not include in-kind contribution such as staff time.
•   PHASE I (Scoping and Convening Working Group): No cost, staff time
•   PHASE II (Stakeholder and Business engagement - to inform program design): $600.00
•   PHASE III & IV (Comms and Campaign Resources, Graphic and Web Design): $5000.00
•   TOTAL financial investment required: $5600.00
It is proposed to work closely with Tourism Noosa to prioritise the $5600.00 required to kickstart the
program through their FY25-26 budget. Should Tourism Noosa budget be unavailable to support
this program, it is proposed to provide in kind support by Council staff and a small allocation of funds
to support the initiation and engagement phase of the program through the Sustainability program
Operational budget as it aligns with existing efforts to implement the endorsed Climate Change
Response Plan, Environment Strategy, and From Waste to Resource Plan.

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PLANNING & ENVIRONMENT COMMITTEE MEETING                                            9 DECEMBER 2025


Risk & Opportunities
Risk
•   There is risk of inconsistent outcomes if participation is staggered. As this is the first step towards
    a bigger program, it will focus on working with the willing and early adopters to gain momentum.
    A review should be conducted once the trial period is completed to gather lessons learned and
    agree on next steps.
•   There is reputational risk should Noosa not be seen as a leader in sustainability and in keeping
    with its Different by Nature ethos.
•   There is a potential risk that businesses perceive a loss of revenue, food safety concerns and
    increased work loads. Clear and accurate information from credible sources will help to mitigate
    this risk.
•   There is a risk of delays in reusable-cup supply, lost cups, or low return rates which can increase
    costs. The use of credible service providers with a demonstrated track record of success in other
    areas can help to manage this risk.
Opportunities
•   Reducing single-use coffee cups reduces waste volumes entering landfill, thereby contributing
    to reduced landfill operational costs and methane emissions that contribute to climate change.
•   Single-use cups are a type of takeaway packaging that contaminate waterways when not
    disposed of correctly; eliminating them reduces marine debris and coastal litter.
•   More businesses transition to reusable systems and gain financial returns and competitive edge
    for demonstrating sustainability, growing the circular economy and custodianship of Noosa’s
    natural environment.
•   Demonstrating, in practice, Noosa’s ethos of being Different by Nature, exemplifying the tenants
    of becoming a regenerative and sustainable place to visit and live.
•   Leading by example to catalyse a transition away from single use items both in QLD and across
    the country (other LGAs already looking to Noosa for leadership in this – Byron and Surf Coast
    have reached out to PFN to learn from Noosa’s experiences).


Human Rights
Human Rights Compatibility Statement
In developing this Report, the subject matter has been considered in accordance with the
requirements of the Queensland Human Rights Act 2019. It is considered that the subject matter
does not conflict with any human rights and supports a human rights approach to decision making
by Council. Council representatives will endeavour to act and make decisions under this report in a
manner that is compatible with human rights. This report should be read in conjunction with
Council’s Human Rights Policy.




Consultation
External Consultation - Community & Stakeholder
Tourism Noosa Plastic Free Noosa program coordinator
Internal Consultation
Departments consulted:

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PLANNING & ENVIRONMENT COMMITTEE MEETING                                             9 DECEMBER 2025


     Office of the CEO, Mayor &             Community Services               Corporate Services
             Councillors
      Mayor & Councillors             X   Director                    X   Director
 X    Chief Executive Officer             Community Development           Financial Services
      Executive Officers                  Sport & Active Lifestyles       Fleet
 X    Community Engagement                Arts & Culture                  Revenue Services
      People & Culture                    Community Connection            ICT
      Governance                          Customer Experience             Procurement

                                                                          Commercial Property

      Strategy & Environment              Development & Regulation        Infrastructure Services
 X    Director                        X   Director                    X   Director
 X    Strategy & Sustainability           Development Assessment          Infrastructure Planning, Design
                                                                          and Delivery
 X    Economic Development        &       Local Laws                      Civil and Asset operations
      Destination Management
      Environmental Services              Environmental Health        X   Waste
      Innovation & Digital Hub            Building & Plumbing             Building & Facilities
                                          Property / Permits              Disaster Management