Donation of 14.5 Tons of Food and Personal Hygiene Products for Needy Residents of Queensland

14.5 tons of food and personal hygiene products have been donated to needy residents of Queensland. 88 shopping carts filled with new products were redirected from landfill storage. In total, 10,000 items were given to homeless residents of Queensland and those fleeing domestic violence. These items were forfeited by travelers at Brisbane Airport who may not have been aware of international baggage transportation regulations. The abandonment of powders, liquids, aerosols, and gels is restricted by the safety regulations of the Department of Home Affairs concerning the carriage of such substances in carry-on luggage during international travel. This resulted in the forfeiture of thousands of items at the airport, including Vegemite, peanut butter, Nutella, honey, Manuka honey, soy sauce, shampoo, cosmetics, sunscreen, perfumes, deodorants, and toothpaste. Over the past year, Brisbane Airport has donated 14.5 tons of items to charitable organizations, which is equivalent to 88 fully loaded shopping carts. Peter Doherty, Director of Media and Corporate Relations at Brisbane Airport, said that discarding these items in landfills, especially during a cost of living crisis, makes no sense. Brisbane Airport is doing a lot to ensure that useful products reach charitable organizations that help residents in need in Queensland.

Personal items such as shampoo, conditioner, and toothpaste are being donated to the organization GIVIT, which distributes them to over 25 institutions in Brisbane. Collaboration with Brisbane Airport has allowed GIVIT to redirect over 10,000 hygiene products instead of them ending up in landfills, with these items reaching people facing difficulties throughout the Brisbane region. This aid has benefited both victims of domestic violence and homeless individuals, as well as families struggling with rising living costs. David Graham from the organization Hands & Feet said that the demand for fresh food and drinks is very high and these are products that are not normally donated to charitable organizations, so they are an additional benefit for those in need.

A survey was conducted, revealing that many travelers are unaware that they can only bring up to 100 mL of alcohol on board an airplane. In the past year, 323 bottles of wine and alcohol were forfeited during security checks at the airport. The donation of these items to Kedron Wavell Services Club resulted in a $4,577 donation to the organization Mates4Mates, which supports current and retired armed forces personnel and their families facing physical injuries, mental health impacts, and social isolation.

Brisbane Airport is focused on reducing waste and aims to achieve zero waste to landfill by 2030. Information on what is allowed can be found on the Department of Home Affairs website. Domestic flights from the Domestic Terminal are not subject to the same restrictions. In 2023, a total of 21.5 million people passed through Brisbane Airport, with 16.6 million using the domestic terminal and 4.8 million utilizing the international terminal.

For interviews, please contact Brisbane Airport’s 24-hour media hotline: 0466 322 485. Images are available for download here.

FAQ

1. What items were donated to needy residents of Queensland?
14.5 tons of food and personal hygiene products were donated, including shampoo, conditioner, toothpaste, and many other items.

2. Where did these items come from?
The items were forfeited by travelers at Brisbane Airport who violated baggage transportation regulations during their travels.

3. Why weren’t these items thrown away in landfill?
Brisbane Airport collaborates with charitable organizations to ensure that useful products reach those in need.

4. Which organizations received these items?
Charitable organizations like GIVIT received these items and distributed them among needy residents of Queensland.

5. What were the other benefits of donating these items?
The donated items, such as fresh food and drinks, were an additional benefit for individuals facing difficulties that are not normally provided to charitable organizations.

6. What were the other items donated by travelers?
In the past year, 323 bottles of wine and alcohol were also donated, which were then passed on to an organization supporting soldiers and their families.

7. What are Brisbane Airport’s environmental goals?
Brisbane Airport aims to achieve zero waste to landfill by 2030.

Definitions:

– Queensland: a state in Australia located on the east coast of the continent.
– GIVIT: a charitable organization in Brisbane that distributes useful products to those in need.
– alcohol: a psychoactive substance with intoxicating effects, consumed for recreational purposes.
– Kedron Wavell Services Club: a club in Brisbane that donates funds to the organization Mates4Mates.
– Mates4Mates: an organization that supports soldiers and their families facing various difficulties.

Links affiliated with the main domain:

– Brisbane Airport (Homepage)
– Department of Home Affairs (Homepage)
– GIVIT (Homepage)
– Mates4Mates (Homepage)