A Perth Mum hopes a new Facebook group could be the answer to reducing the amount of household plastic waste ending up in landfill.

Simmone Meakins, from Maylands, created the ‘Match up parts for containers PERTH’ group last month for members to source and share lids and bases for kitchen containers.

She says she was inspired to act after struggling to source replacement parts for her own containers from suppliers.

“I’d reached out to companies that promoted a product as lasting a lifetime,” she says.

“You lose a part, and you ask them if they can replace it, and the answer has either been no or the postage has been like quadruple the cost of the actual part, which I feel is a barrier.”

“The whole point like manufacturers said is that they last a lifetime, so then you’ve got all these bits and pieces without a match that are lasting a lifetime in landfill,” says Simmone.

Data from the National Waste Report 2022 reveals 87 per cent of plastic waste ended up in landfill during the 2020-21 financial year.

Waste educator Peg Davies says buying less is the key to reducing plastic waste.

“We’re still a disposable society,” she says.

Peg Davies, Waste educator

“The big message is to try and reduce what we have and buy quality when we do get it.”

While applauding the idea, Peg Davies says it’s often something done by people who are already converts to adopting better waste practices.

Simmone Meakins agrees but hopes the group will encourage others to get involved.

“I think it would be great for the group to be shared with people who wouldn’t otherwise think about it,” she says.

“We’re trying, those that are environmentally focused, trying to get a second life out of things, but other people just see it as rubbish.”

“It would be great if the world was more community minded, and we could help each other in bigger ways than you know helping each other find a lid to a Keep Cup.”