The Plastic Free Riverpark Program works with riverfront events, food and beverage businesses, sporting groups and local governments to reduce single-use packaging, particularly single-use plastic packaging, in the Swan Canning Riverpark.

The Swan Canning Riverpark is socially, culturally and economically significant to the people of Perth. It is also home to a diverse range of flora and fauna, including more than 80 bird species, 200 recorded species of fish, and 20-25 Indo-Pacific bottlenose dolphins.

Packaging is often littered and has the potential to pose a major risk to the Swan Canning Riverpark. Wildlife can ingest or become entangled in plastic debris. Packaging washing up on foreshores can affect root growth of flora and visitor amenity. Remaining debris can impact tourism, block drainage infrastructure, and break up into harmful microplastics.

The Plastic Free Riverpark Program supports Western Australia's Plan for Plastics legislation, which has regulations to ban selected single-use plastic items. To find out what single-use items are still allowed in Western Australia, check out the Ban Solution Finder | Alternatives to Single-Use Plastics in Australia

Change takes time, but small actions from Perth's busine

The applicant

Must:

• Operate in the Swan Canning Riverpark, or within 2km of the Swan Canning Riverpark. E
• ither be:
  • A food or beverage business(caf, restaurant, bar, pub) operating for at least three hours per day, three days per week. OR
  • A sporting organisation,such as a rowing club or yacht club, whose primary activity occurs in the Swan Canning Riverpark. OR
  • A vessel charter operator with one or more vessels operating in the Swan Canning Riverpark.
• Be 100% compliant with Western Australia's Plan for Plastics at the time of the application and at any point in the future (random compliance checks will be conducted).
• Supply an ABN and notice of GST registration.
  • In some cases, notice of GST registration may not be required i.e., if the applicant is a not-for-profit or volunteer organisation.
• A business with more than one eligible venue may be able to apply for grant funds on behalf of the additional venues with funds awarded at the full discretion of the DBCA.

Must not:

• Be a service station, supermarket, deli, or other food or beverage business that does not prepare food and drink on-site, and whose primary form of business is not serving dine-in or takeaway food and beverage to customers.
• Be a charter operator that allows the public on board a vessel without a crew operating the vessel at all times.

The project

Must:

• Be able to be implemented within three to six months of receiving grant funding.
• Introduce a reusable alternative and eliminate single-use packaging/serve-ware items*, particularly single-use plastic packaging (*excludes Container Deposit Scheme containers).
• Show consideration of how the project will maintain the reusable alternative beyond the initial scope of the grant funding and embed reusable behaviour within the culture of the venue by educating customers and promoting BYO and reuse at the venue.

Must not:

• Be for staff salaries or wages, or training courses.

• Email: plasticfreeriverpark@dbca.wa.gov.au