WASTE NOT WANT NOT – Introducing ‘Stop the Sachets’  

Starting this month, Waste Not Want Not will be working on a new community-wide initiative in Clonakilty called 'Stop the Sachets'.  Using local media and in collaboration with local Chamber of Commerce, Tidy Towns, Mayoral Council, businesses, community groups and schools the goal is to eliminate the use of ketchup, vinegar, mayo and butter sachets (to name a few!) from Clonakilty town.  

Why ‘STOP THE SACHETS’?  

Greenpeace reports an estimated 855 billion sauce sachets are disposed of each year (enough to cover the entire surface on Earth).  Heinz Ketchup’s most recent production figures were around 11 billion units per year alone!  These sachets end up on our streets, in our water systems and are completely unnecessary and avoidable.  The sachets are made of composite materials that are almost impossible to separate or recycle and take centuries to fully degrade.  

Students from the Clonakilty Community College have been working with Tidy Towns regularly to litter pick and keep our streets clean.  They identified sachets (especially the little piece you might tear off in order to access the sauce) as one of the main bits of litter in the town.  

Under new EU Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation single use sachets are set to banned across the EU by 2030.  So this initiative will make Clonakilty a national leader in this effort. And on top of all of those great reasons to 'Stop the Sachets', each one costs 15c; and often are thrown into the bin unused.    

Leading the Way  

James Wharton of Chunky Chip instigated the idea of an initiative to get rid of sachets earlier this year when the Waste Not, Want Not project was just beginning...

“Over the years we have tried to get rid of sachets numerous times - but because of Covid and also customer expectations it hasn’t stuck. We’ve now gotten rid of them for good but it will be much easier for everyone when all restaurants and takeaways are on board to make it a townwide initiative.  It’s great to have the supportive of ‘Stop the Sachets’ to help communicate to customers; it’s a waste of money for us and makes a load of unnecessary rubbish.’’  

O'Donovan's Hotel have also been working hard to get rid of sachets for years, they were completely sachet free pre-covid and are nearly there again.  Tom O’Donovan said...

“It’s a constant struggle trying to reduce waste in a hotel.” Over the years O’Donovans have led the way testing and implementing new methods to reduce waste – from offering ‘small-portions’ in their restaurant, to making their own biodiesel from leftover veg oil, to installing solar panels and even creating community allotments to get people growing their own. Tom continues, “We are always looking for ways to be more sustainable and are only delighted when a community-wide initiative helps by highlighting the need for these types of environmentally minded movements and gets businesses in the town working together.”  Other local sachet-free establishments to celebrate include the Emmet Hotel, the Fig & Olive and the Green Dot cafe.  We look forward to this list growing as the ‘Stop the Sachets’ initiative gains momentum this month!"  

Supports for Businesses  

This month will see groups of Clonakilty Community College students and Tidy Towns volunteers going door to door to each food establishment in Clonakilty to inform them about this initiative, offer support and encourage them to 'Stop the Sachets'.  

Throughout the next five months we will continue to promote and support the transition to sachet-free alternatives with the goal of being completely sachet free by April 2025.  Business supports include promotional, informational, and financial - to help source new and better alternatives to sachets (ie. Dispensers, squeezy bottles and ramekins).  A short video has been made that will be circulated on social media to help prepare customers and businesses for this change.    

What can we, as customers, do?  

Of course we can encourage businesses to get rid of sachets and celebrate those who have already made the switch – and we can take it even further!  

A lot of us are used to hearing the waste reduction trifecta of Reuse, Reduce, Recycle – but did you know that in recent years this has been upgraded?  At the top of the pyramid now comes ‘Refuse’ followed by, Reduce, Reuse, Repair, Recycle and Recover’.  

It is the REFUSE here that we are invited to partake in.  

Talk to your favourite restaurants, wherever you are, about ‘Stop the Sachets’ and encourage them to replace sachets with more environmentally friendly alternatives.  

Refuse sachets, ask to use dispensers or squeezy bottles instead – just put that ketchup directly onto your chips – or, if your taking food home, you might already have a bottle of ketchup you can use and avoid sachets that way.  And what if there is no other option? Well, we as consumers still have the power to refuse.  Maybe, from now on, you choose to refuse if the only option available is a sachet.  

Join this movement by posting a photo on social media of a sachet alternative in your own shop or favourite restaurant and tag #STOPTHESACHETS .  

For more information on supports available for businesses email allison@voiceireland.org.  

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