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It all started when the Queen agreed to work alongside fellow 91-year-old Sir David Attenborough on a conservation documentary dealing with wildlife in the Commonwealth.

She became personally interested in the damage to oceans caused by dumped plastic.

One thing led to another, and the Queen has now declared war on plastic, banning straws and bottles from the Royal estates.

Buckingham Palace has outlined new waste plans, which will include gradually phasing out plastic straws and bottles in public cafes and banning them altogether in staff dining rooms.

Internal caterers at Buckingham Palace, Windsor Castle, and the Palace of Holyroodhouse in Edinburgh will now only be allowed to use china plates and glasses, or recyclable paper cups.

Takeaway food items in the Royal Collection cafes must also now be made of compostable or biodegradable packaging.

As well as the Queen’s interest, The Prince of Wales also regularly speaks about the damage to the oceans caused by dumped plastic and recently warned that the world was facing an "escalating ecological and human disaster" from refuse in the seas.

Buckingham Palace is currently undergoing a 10-year refurbishment program which will make the royal residence far more green, The Telegraph reported.

Food & Drink Business

Sydney-based craft rum producer, Sydney Distilling Co Pty Ltd, trading as Brix Distillers, has entered voluntary administration, with Ben Carson and Richard Stone from RSM Australia Partners appointed as Joint and Several Voluntary Administrators on 21 January 2026.

Pure Wine Co has been appointed as the exclusive national mainland distributor for Tasmanian winery, Pipers Brook Vineyard. Effective from 1 March, Pure Wine Co will manage national mainland distribution and trade sales for Pipers Brook and its Kreglinger Sparkling, Pipers Tasmania and Ninth Island labels.

The fourth round of the federal government’s Traceability Grants Program is now open for applications, with funding from $50,000 to $500,000 available for projects modernising and enhancing agricultural traceability systems.