The Green Pantry takes the lead on reducing single-use plastic as State Government announces ban plan

The State Government has announced a plan to phase out a wide range of single-use plastics but The Green Pantry in Denmark is one step ahead.

On November 8, Premier Mark McGowan announced a plan to reduce the use of single-use plastics in WA.

WA’s Plan for Plastics will be rolled out in two stages with legislation set to be developed and implemented by 2023 for a Statewide phase-out of plastic plates, cutlery, stirrers, straws, thick plastic bags, polystyrene food containers and helium balloon releases.

Since 2019, The Green Pantry on Strickland Street in Denmark has been phasing out the use of single-use takeaway coffee cups.

The cafe officially ran out of takeaway cups two months ago.

Takeaway beverages are now only accepted for keep-cups, through the cup exchange or another program called Green Caffeen.

People can download the Green Caffeen app, order a takeaway coffee at any participating cafe, scan the cup out, then return the empty or dirty cup and get a fresh one.

The Green Pantry owner Cressida Rubinich said abandoning single-use cups was an easy decision and she had never looked back.

“When you’re working behind the coffee machine and see everyone come in day to day, the same customers getting a cup every single time, you just go ‘That’s crazy’,” she said.

“So that was sort of our motivation behind it — and the waste involved — and it’s quite easy to do.”

Ms Rubinich said customers had welcomed the move.

“I thought there’d be a drop in customers but it’s picked up because of that. It’s just a matter of changing people’s mindset,” she said.