The South Australian government has provided $100,000 to help expand innovative milk keg initiative that is reducing the need for plastic milk containers in cafes and restaurants.
The Fleurieu Milk Company’s reusable milk keg and glass bottle model is slashing the number of plastic milk cartons used in the local hospitality industry with 128,000 less plastic bottles used since it was first rolled out in October last year.
The funding will be used to upscale the reusable milk filling system via an enhanced digital platform and traceability tracking system.
“Recognising the potential of reusable glass bottles in the dairy industry, we are gathering data on their usage to understand their environmental impact better,” says Nick Hutchinson, General Manager Fleurieu Milk.
“This grant funding will enable the development of a ‘Fleurieu Milk Co. app’, allowing consumers to monitor their reduction in single-use bottles and earn rewards for sustainable practices.”
The upgrades and expansion of the program is expected to see 1000 kegs delivered weekly, saving 9000 plastic milk containers weekly, or about 500,000 annually.
Deputy Premier Susan Close says seeing the Fleurieu Milk Company closing the loop on their resources is going to have an immediate benefit for the environment and for a more circular economy.
“South Australian business, industry and organisations are increasingly looking at new ways of doing business via circular economy business models, practices and circular products and materials,” she said.
“Since 2018 more than $2 million has been provided to develop and test more circular practices that can be scaled up, repeated, and easily adopted by other South Australian businesses.”
The funding latest funding boost comes ahead of the phasing out of more single use plastic products from 1 September 2024.
Surveys have shown overwhelming public support for banning single use plastics which are a significant source of pollution including to SA’s waterways.