Coffee cup composting service launches in Perth

Perth cafes have joined forces with BioPak, a global leader in the innovation and production of environmentally sustainable packaging, in the creation of what is claimed to be Australia’s first comprehensive national composting service for foodservice packaging.

Under the service, customers will be able to dispose of used coffee cups and BioPak compostable takeaway food packaging in specially designed collection bins placed at their local cafes or workplaces. The bins will be collected weekly and sent to commercial facilities to be composted — eight weeks later, they will be transformed into nutritious soil compost for gardens or farms.

BioPak founder Richard Fine said the aim of the service is to ensure that the environmental benefit of compostable, single-use disposable packaging could be maximised, helping customers in reducing the environmental impact of their business.

“In Australia, we send more than eight million tonnes of organic waste to landfill every year, including 1.5 million tonnes of food waste,” Fine said.

“The problem with this is that when food waste decomposes in landfills, it releases methane, which is a greenhouse gas 80 times more potent than carbon dioxide, resulting in enormous damage to our environment.

“Switching to compostable foodservice packaging, including compostable coffee cups, can divert much of this material from going to landfill.”

One of the first cafes in Perth that has signed up for the service is Yelo, which has outlets in Trigg, Mount Hawthorn and Subiaco. Its owner, Mike Pond, said the composting service allows patrons to enjoy the convenience of disposable takeaway packaging, including coffee cups, while doing the right thing by the environment.

“This is a fantastic initiative, which we believe will help divert potentially tonnes of waste away from landfills and turned into composting that can be used for commercial-level agriculture — at no cost to our customers,” said Pond. “In fact, the composting service will save us more than 20% a year in waste bills.

“We are big supporters of the concept of a truly circular economy, using rapidly renewable and sustainably sourced material that returns nutrients back into the soil at the end of their life.

“The reaction from our customers has been fantastic so far.”