16.07.2021, 15:26
Eliminating Single-use Plastics at Melbourne Airport
Delaware North’s “Last Straw” campaign has diverted an estimated 500,000 single-use plastic straws from Melbourne Airport which has committed to making front-of-house hospitality venues and lounges single-use plastic free by the end of 2021.
The airport will put an end to the distribution of traditional plastic items such as single-use straws, cutlery, plates, drink stirrers and expanded polystyrene food and drink containers.
The majority of the airport’s front-of-house venues are already reducing plastics by switching to sustainable and recyclable options like bamboo. The new commitment will see remaining venues and lounges adopt a plastic-free stance by the end of the year, well ahead of the Victorian Government’s 2023 deadline.
Delaware North is already reporting environmental benefits as it extends its ban on single-use plastics beyond straws to include all single-use plastic items at food and beverages concessions it operates within the airport.
Lorie Argus, Chief of Aviation at Melbourne Airport, comments: “While the Victorian government has mandated a ban on all single-use plastics by February 2023, Melbourne Airport will stop the purchase and distribution of single-use plastics across our front-of-house venues and lounges at the end of the year as part of our continuous improvement program around waste management.
“We know pollution and waste management is a major concern for travelers, so we’re proud to announce this significant step as part of our traveler experience work stream.
“We’re looking forward to working with our tenants to find sustainable, recyclable alternatives to single-use plastic.”
