The website helping hospo go plastic-free

Not-for-profit Boomerang Alliance is helping food retailers, events, and organisations find easy and cost-effective plastic-free solutions to run their businesses with its Plastic Ban Solution Finder website.

According to the Boomerang Alliance Plastic Free Places Manager, Kellie Lindsay, the website has already worked with thousands of hospitality businesses to eliminate over 30 million single-use plastic items.

The website hosts an index of alternative material packaging suppliers that have been assessed and certified independently by cross-referencing with certification bodies, checking product compositions and verifying claims.

“Unfortunately, many businesses have been misled into buying packaging that falsely claims to be plastic-free or compliant with bans. This is very frustrating and often expensive for businesses who are trying to do the right thing,” says Lindsay.

The Boomerang Alliance website states that greenwashing or misinformation can mislead businesses. “Many products claim to be plastic-free and/or adhering to bans but are simply not.”

The website also hosts resources to help businesses become more sustainable, along with a simple summary of which bans apply to which state.

Boomerang Alliance is a not-for-profit organisation linking a range of environmental groups, encompassing surfers, recyclers, clean up and neighbourhood groups. It aims to empower communities in the fight against waste by encouraging sustainability.

Payment or kickbacks from suppliers wishing to be included on the website are not accepted.

The website has received funding from the Western Australian and South Australian governments and is currently available to businesses in both states. The alliance plans for other states to follow soon.