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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

The Federal Court has found Coles Supermarkets made false or misleading representations in its ‘Down Down’ promotional program, handing the ACCC a significant win in proceedings that have been closely watched across the retail and manufacturing sectors.

SPC Global (ASX: SPG) has launched a fully underwritten $100 million equity raising, with the bulk of proceeds earmarked for net debt reduction as the company works to reset its balance sheet less than 18 months after listing on the ASX.

The federal government released its 2026 budget last week, with longstanding issues in the food and beverage sector mostly overlooked in favour of the critical supply chain challenges arising from the Middle East conflict. Although organisations such as AUSVEG and the National Farmers’ Federation (NFF) have welcomed measures that will ease pressure on farmers and strengthen the nation’s food supply chains, there are concerns that they fall short of the specific and systemic reforms necessary to restore certainty to the Australian food industry.