Page 44 - Plastics Nuews October 2017

INTERNATIoNAL NEWS

Starbucks urged to stop using New Zealand's major grocery

plastic straws in UK chains to phase out free plastic

bags
s the use of plastic straws
Ais becoming more of an
environmental focus, what ew Zealand’s two major supermarket chains
is arguably the most famous Nwill phase out free, single-use high density
coffeehouse name is being polyethylene shopping bags.After the Countdown
challenged by one nonprofit chain in October announced it will remove single-use
group to discontinue their use. plastic carrier bags from stores and its online shopping
As You Sow, a foundation that service by the end of 2018, its rival chain, New World,
owned by Wellington-based Foodstuffs (NZ) Ltd.,
promotes corporate social surveyed customers to see if they are prepared to
responsibility, is seeking the pay for carrier bags.
change at Starbucks Corp. through a shareholder resolution
that includes several environmental requests. Countdown is a subsidiary of Australian publicly
listed company Woolworths Ltd., based in the Sydney
The Oakland-based group also wants to engage Starbucks suburb of Bella Vista, which in July announced it will
on cup recyclability, both in terms of material content phase out single-use bags across its 992 Australian
and collection and processing. As You Sow wants Starbucks supermarkets by June 30. Phasing out bags was not
to increase recycled content and promote greater use of an option in New World’s survey, but Foodstuffs
reusable cups. Managing Director Steve Anderson said although the
“overwhelming majority” of survey respondents voted
Plastic straws are part of the larger overall discussion in favor of ‘yes - charge me for bags’, “we missed an
about plastic ocean pollution. The city of Seattle recently important question – no bag at all. Many customers
indicated it will begin enforcing a law that bans plastic told us via email, Facebook, phone and in-store they
straws and utensils next summer, according to local wanted this option.” So, despite not formally polling
reports. "Some of the activist groups see this as a doable customers on eliminating plastic bags altogether,
first goal that's easier to deal with than cups," said
Conrad MacKerron, senior vice president at As You Sow,
said about straw usage. Publicity about plastic ocean
pollution generated by the Ellen MacArthur Foundation
and the Ocean Conservancy has sharpened the focus on
straws."It's not like it's rocket science, there's always been
paper straws out there," MacKerron said.

While paper straws might not hold up as well as plastic
straws, he believes consumers can be convinced to use
them. Or, he said, straws don't have to be used at all.
"Culturally, straws are overused."The shareholder resolution New World announced on October 10, 2017 that it
states: "Proponent believes that a comprehensive policy will phase them out. Anderson said New World aims
on sustainable packaging for Starbucks consistent with its to be single-use plastic bag free by the end of 2018.
environmental leadership posture includes at a minimum: “This move depends on being able to find the right bag
solution to meet our customers’ needs and those of
making cups recyclable, ensuring that cups collected are the environment.” Anderson said Foodstuffs will give
actually recycled, increasing recycled content, removing away 2 million long-life reusable bags to customers
plastic straws, and identifying a feasible path toward a during the southern summer; introduce a 10 cent
scaled commitment to its original goal for reusable cups." voluntary donation per plastic with the money going
to environmental causes; and continue a 5 cent rebate
for reusable bags sold in some stores.
Plastics News | Octob er 2017 44