Many WA mining camps are making the transition from single-use food containers, cutlery and cups to reusable food ware in crib bags. WA’s Plan for Plastics phase out of single-use plastic food containers and plastic cups is spurring change along with the financial savings from reusables and the growing range of good quality, functional reusables for the mining sector.
The Department of Water and Environmental Regulation, in conjunction with Boomerang Alliance, are working with the resource sector and associated catering companies to avoid disposable plastics and take practical steps to introduce or extend reusable containers and cups in mining villages, including their associated wash stations.
From our engagement with the sector we heard that implementing reusable containers on mine sites is both possible and cost effective. Multiple sites are effectively using bring-your-own (BYO) or company-supplied crib kits, with staff responsible for cleaning their containers at troughs set up at washing stations or in crib rooms.
How to transition to reusable crib kits
View this case study outlining how Mineral Resources rolled out reusable crib kits to their mining villages in a staged approach.
What is the breakeven point for reusable crib kits at your mining village?
Try out this simple calculator to give you an estimate on the time to recoup the initial cost outlay with the savings from avoiding purchasing disposable items.
Fact sheets
This five-part fact sheet series offers clear, practical guidance for initiating reusable crib kits on mine sites. They cover kit choices, infrastructure, hygiene, implementation and communications to support workforce buy-in. Each fact sheet is based on real-world knowledge from WA sites where reusable systems are operating successfully.
Case studies
These five case studies show how WA mine sites with different structures and workforce composition have successfully implemented reusable crib kits. Each one provides practical insights into how reusable systems perform under site conditions, highlighting the practical decisions, site-specific challenges and operational realities that shape how they work from day to day.
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