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      April 21, 2023 2 min read 2 Comments

      Swap and Wash Takeaway Trial!

      Let’s be honest, we all love a good takeaway. Whether it’s a spinach & ricotta roll from the bakery on the weekend or a daily stop at your local cafe for a muffin and coffee, ... takeaway culture in Australia is booming. 

      In fact, each day,  4.5 million takeaway transactions take place across Australia. Wow!

      While this is great news for Aussie businesses, the sturdy stack of single-use takeaway containers from these transactions is less than ideal. 

      We’re proud to have a beautiful range of reusable containers suitable for takeaway available on our site, however, we know it’s often when we don’t have those containers on hand that we need them the most. 

      That’s why we’re so excited about Waverley Council’s new Swap and Wash trial program.

      Swap and Wash!

      What is a Swap and Wash program you ask? Instead of single-use takeaway containers, consumers at 7 establishments in Bondi will have the option of a reusable takeaway container for a 12-week trial period (and hopefully much longer!).

      The containers, created by Bondi start-up, ‘rePlated’, are made on Sydney's Northern Beaches using certified ocean-bound plastic. How’s that for double ocean-protecting duty!?

      If consumers wish to participate, they will purchase their first reusable container with their meal, then simply swap their used container for a fresh one the next time they order. The containers are all hygienically cleaned and then reused. 

      The Impact

      Based on numbers in the area, the Swap and Wash program is predicted to save over 400 kilograms of plastic waste in the 12-week period. But wait, it gets better - this waste avoidance then saves about 4 tonnes of greenhouse gas emissions! Whaaaa!

      These incredible numbers are based on just 100 participants swapping 3 single-use containers for the rePlated meal boxes per week. 

      In addition to avoiding 5200 single-use containers during this trial period, the program is also considering how much use each reusable container can turn out as well as responsible end-of-life recycling through rePlated. 

      With such an amazing option available to Bondi businesses, we simply can’t wait to see how this trial impacts sustainable choices for both consumers and businesses alike!

      A Circular Economy in the Making

      With so many new and exciting options for circular economy living, we truly are so proud of all the changes Aussies are making every day.

      Whether you’re in Bondi and keen to try rePlated for yourself, or you’re admiring these efforts from another area, there truly is no time like the present to start making these sustainable swaps in your own routine. 

      Will you be using a reusable container for your next takeaway? Drop your favourite tips and tricks for reducing single-use waste below so we can all work together to banish plastic waste for good!

      Thanks for tuning in GFZ's. If you loved this blog we think you'll love our story on Victoria's New Kerbside Soft Plastics Recycling Plan...

      Until next week!

      Much love, 

      GFZ Team xox 

      2 Responses

      Annette Ford
      Annette Ford

      March 07, 2025

      1. Purchase stainless steel rectangular tins with silicone leakproof seal – I have 8 in different sizes. Reuse rubber bands from bunches of veges to attach home made labels to the tins ( i cut up plastic icecream lids to make labels and rewash and re use them). Take the tins into your organic butcher or fish monger with a selection of labels for the kinds of meat/fish, cuts and amounts you want. Leave the tins at the butcher with your phone number and ask them to fill the tins when butchering the meats BEFORE the cuts end up under plastic wrap in their display cabinet. Get them to phone you when they are ready to collect.
      2. Buy as much as you can from bulk food stores like Wray, Kiah, Market Organics and Source. you can take in your own metal, glass or plastic containers, get them weighed before filling and they will tare off the weight of your container so you dont pay for more than what you get. Or use brown paper bags or washable cloth bags or washable zip lock plastic bags (which have negligible weight). You can get all your flours, meals, spices, herbs, grains, nuts, seeds, dried fruit, cooking oil, tamari, maple syrup, peanut butter, kombucha, liquid body/laundry/dish soaps etc from these stores.
      3. Save and wash every plastic, glass or metal container with a sealable lid. Use these labelled to freeze, refrigerate, pantry store, preserve food or store hardware and sewing items etc.
      4. Every plastic bag that enters the house is washed, dried and either re-used for shopping, food storage, rubbish collection, (or rolled up tight and put in the Recyclesmart bag if it has holes in it or is not reusable). I use metal skirt hangers to drip dry them with the opening at the bottom, in the laundry. The next day I shake them out and hang them by the open top to air dry completely. Then they are stored hanging with the opening at the bottom (to prevent dust entering) on metal skirt hangers in groups of similar sizes, separating "food reusable " from “rubbish reusable” labelled on different hangers.
      5. Try various composting options like dome bin with fine metal mesh base to exclude vermin, Bokashi to include meat, fish, bones, dairy and starches without attracting vermin, worm farms to produce excellent liquid fertiliser for your plants. The new kid on the block is the Foodcycler, which takes just about any organic food waste, dries and sanitises it, then grinds it into little chips for mixing into your compost or garden beds. Great for egg shells to get the calcium into your soil quicker and prevent blossom end rot in fruits and veges. Also once processed it can sit at room temperature in a sealed container for several days without odour, until you get around to putting it in the garden or compost.

      Annette Ford
      Annette Ford

      March 07, 2025

      1. Purchase stainless steel rectangular tins with silicone leakproof seal – I have 8 in different sizes. Reuse rubber bands from bunches of veges to attach home made labels to the tins ( i cut up plastic icecream lids to make labels and rewash and re use them). Take the tins into your organic butcher or fish monger with a selection of labels for the kinds of meat/fish, cuts and amounts you want. Leave the tins at the butcher with your phone number and ask them to fill the tins when butchering the meats BEFORE the cuts end up under plastic wrap in their display cabinet. get them to phone you when they are ready to collect.
      2. Buy as much as you can from bulk food stores like Wray, Kiah, Market Organics and Source. you can take in your own containers, get them weighed before filling and they will tare off the weight of your container. Or, use brown paper bags or washable cloth bags or washable zip lock plastic bags. You can get all your flours, meals, spices, herbs, grains, nuts, seeds, dried fruit, cooking oil, tamari, maple syrup, peanut butter, kombucha, liquid body and laundry and dish soaps etc from these stores.
      3. Save and wash every plastic, glass or metal container with a sealable lid. Use these labelled to freeze, refrigerate, pantry store or preserve food

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