The Boomerang Alliance with the help of Wollongong City Council and other community groups launched ‘Plastic Free Wollongong’ at the University of Wollongong this week.
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The Boomerang Alliance ‘Communities Taking Control’ campaign initiative aims to reduce Wollongong’s plastic pollution footprint.
Boomerang Alliance is made up of 47 groups and Plastic Free Wollongong is supported by: Surfrider Foundation, Responsible Cafes, UOW Pulse, Citizen Blue, Illawarra Intrepid Landcare, Take3, Green Connect, Fish Thinkers Research.
Plastic Free Wollongong is about bringing together the entire community to take action against single-use plastic and its impact on the local environment.
Boomerang Alliance director Jeff Angel said it was important to take action because the evidence of significant pollution from plastic being disposed of in communities such as Wollongong is alarming.
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“It impacts the ocean, local waterways, marine and wildlife and the human food chain, with plastic now being found in our food and drinking water,” he said.
“All levels of government need to join with the community in taking action and we are pleased Wollongong Council has given support. There’s been a great response from the community in the lead up to the launch, with programs being developed to work with local businesses, festivals, schools and other groups to reduce single-use plastic at it’s source.”
Mr Angel said Boomerang Alliance’s focus was to encourage the use of reusable items and the elimination of single-use plastic items in favour of reusable and non-plastic alternatives. “We will be using our learnings from Wollongong and our other pilot in Noosa to develop a national guide to address single-use plastic that will be distributed as a toolkit for other communities across Australia”.
Plastic Free Wollongong is targeting the reduction of plastic items such as plastic bottles, plastic bags, polystyrene and plastic takeaway food containers, straws, cutlery and coffee cups.
All levels of government need to join with the community in taking action and we are pleased Wollongong Council has given support
- Jeff Angel
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