The Great Coffee Cup Debate: Compostable, Recyclable, or Reusable?

Australians toss out 1.84 billion single-use cups every year. While they may look like paper, most are lined with plastic—meaning they can’t be recycled in kerbside bins. Even so-called ‘compostable’ cups rarely make it to compost, often ending up in landfill instead.

But coffee cups are just the start. From takeaway containers to cutlery, the push for reusables is growing—and forward-thinking cafes are leading the way

Join us for an eye-opening online panel where we’ll bust the myths around compostable packaging, highlight how Bermagui’s cafes are proving reusables work and explore real world solutions making reusables the new normal. Whether you're a café owner, coffee lover, or sustainability advocate, this conversation will leave you inspired and ready to take action.

Panelists:

🌏 Gayle Sloan – CEO, Waste Management and Resource Recovery Association of Australia
☕ Tezin Butt – Co-owner, Boneless Cafe Bermagui & champion of reusable coffee cups
♻️ Jonas Benedikt – Founder & CEO, Good Reusables, tackling waste in hospitality
🌱 Fiona Meighan – Innovation Leader, STREAT, leading projects to cut disposable cups
🏝 Sarah Child – Resource Recovery Strategy & Engagement Officer, Byron Shire Council
🎤 Kirsty Bishop-Fox – Moderator | Sustainability Educator, Zero Waste Victoria

Coffee cups are just the start. Let’s move beyond the bin and create a truly sustainable coffee culture—one reusable at a time.

Presented in collaboration with Zero Waste Victoria this talk will inspire you to consider sustainability with every cup you drink


You can find more events in the National Sustainability Festival here