Explore guidelines for your region
We’ve partnered with UTS Institute for Sustainable Futures to develop a sustainable packaging framework for restaurants in Australia to help you make informed decisions for your business.
The framework is in line with Australian and global guidelines, and focuses on materials that can be recycled or composted.
Criteria used to assess packaging
To be considered sustainable, packaging must meet the following criteria:
Does it avoid problematic or hazardous materials?
Packaging is considered problematic if it is a high contributor to litter, if it contaminates other recyclable materials, or if it contains hazardous chemicals like PFAS.
Is it recyclable or compostable?
Recyclable
Many types of plastics can be recycled. Some common recyclable plastics are PET, HDPE, LDPE, and PP. You can tell if packaging is made of these plastics by looking for one of these 4 polymer codes.
Other materials such as paper, cardboard, and aluminum are also recyclable.
Some small items such as utensils and straws can’t be recycled, regardless of the material they are made of. Because of this, many items made with reduced impact on the environment through use of renewable materials can be considered sustainable. These materials include raw wood, cellulose fiber or paper.
We're here to help, but you should make decisions based on what's best for your business. Materials are provided for informational purposes only and shouldn't be relied upon as business or legal advice from Uber.