Blog

We’re all collectively fighting the war on waste at every level: consumer, business, and government. But perhaps there’s a different war we should be fighting? The war on convenience.

BioPak is recalling 12oz ByoCups manufactured before 2015 and sold between February 2013 and April 2018. In extreme circumstances, the bottom of the coffee cup may detach. If this occurs while the cup contains hot coffee/liquid, there is a risk of injury to the user. We take this very seriously, and are working with the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission and New Zealand's Trading Standards on this voluntary recall.

Coca Cola Amatil announced that they are entering the paper straw market this year in a move to reduce plastic consumption. The beverage manufacturer, who would previously distribute free plastic straws to over 115,000 outlets for promotional events in Australia, is now planning to make all their packaging fully recyclable by 2025. Part of the plan is to phase out all plastic straws and replace them with recyclable, home compostable and FSC® certified BioPak paper straws.

The South Australian Government is considering banning single-use plastic products such as coffee cups with plastic lining, straws, and cutlery. According to an Australian Senate inquiry, single-use plastics could be banned by 2023.

While the percentage of waste going to landfill has decreased, waste tonnage overall is growing with the economy and population. Recycling doesn’t change the amount of waste created. Instead, it minimises resources lost by diverting material from landfill and transforming it into a new material. Sounds good in theory, but two basic questions about recycling persist: is it really good for the environment and does it make economic sense?

New Zealand’s leading independent conservation organisation, Forest & Bird, has made some significant headway with nature in 2018, and some of these achievements have been due to BioPak’s ‘Give Back’ program.

Rainforest Rescue has been protecting and restoring rainforests since 1998 and in 2018 they’ve made a big difference thanks, in part, to BioPak’s ‘Give Back’ program.

Plastic straws may only be used for a few minutes, but their negative effects on the environment last a lifetime (and then some). In 2018, plastic drinking straws have been in the media for all the wrong reasons with excessive consumption and disposal causing harm to gentle sea creatures, littering beaches around the world, to name a few.