Waves Cafe Bar

Name: Paul

Action to date:

• Takeaway tubs replaced with paper boxes
• No takeaway coffee cups
• Incentivising reusable coffee cups with 25p off
• Non-plastic straws only available to people who ask
• Glass bottles or cans for drinks
• Reusing ice cream tubs for food storage in the kitchen
• Stopped providing single-use low fat spread portions
• Using concentrate cleaning products which are decanted into reusable bottles
• Plastic trays that mushrooms are delivered in are given to a garden nursery

Proposed action:

• Looking for an alternative to sauce sachets
• WIll ask supplier about plastic in tea bags

“I started making changes after I saw a tv feature about marine plastic and one of our customers’ kids was on it. The next time they came in we got chatting and I decided to look at how much plastic we were using here.

We’re doing as much as we can, however, some things do need to be pushed back on suppliers and manufacturers to find solutions. For example, I decided not to go down the “compostable” alternatives route as they’re pointless in Cornwall. So until there is a viable alternative, particularly with coffee cups, we will just not do takeaway coffees unless people bring their own cup. I’m prepared to take the hit financially because it’s sending the right message.

To increase recycling among businesses there should be more of an incentive. If it was even cheaper to fill a recycling bin than a normal waste bin everyone would have to think about what they are throwing away.”

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