By Goya Dmytryshchak
A petition to ban single use plastics on beaches and in parks in Hobsons Bay has been submitted to the council.
Lead petitioner Abigail McAsey said she wanted items such as plastic cutlery, bags and water bottles prohibited in communal areas.
“They’re really easy to find alternatives for and it would reduce the amount of rubbish in bins that overfill in the summer time,” the Newport resident said.
“It’s like the law of not being able to smoke on beaches. You can’t necessarily police it but once it becomes a known thing in the community, most people would abide by it.”
The petition, signed by 136 people, also calls on the council to promote waste-free alternatives around the community via posters in hubs such as libraries, train stations and community centres.
Ms McAsey said she believed it was a small change that could help preserve the environment.
“Living near a bay, we have such beautiful beaches and amazing wetlands, lots of really cool birds, and seeing the destruction of all of that growing up so far is not what I want to see,” she said.
“Simple things like banning the use of single use plastic will make such a change.”
The petition comes as the council adopted its Waste and Litter Management Strategy 2025.
The strategy includes community education on single use plastic and food waste avoidance and developing a policy to phase out single use products in the council’s operations.
