Sefton urged to become a ‘Plastic Free Community’ and end reliance on single use plastic

People are being urged to do all they can to become ‘plastic free’. 

Sefton will this week be asked to lead by example, by removing all single-use plastic items from its premises and operations while also encouraging plastic-free initiatives in the area and promoting the Plastic Free Community campaign. 

Sefton Council’s Cabinet Member for Education, Cllr Diane Roscoe, will put forward a motion at this Thursday’s Full Sefton Council meeting asking colleagues to support her plea. 

The local authority passed a motion at its meeting on 19th July 2018 to reduce the use of single use plastics (SUP) in order to protect the Borough, particularly our coastal environment.

Since then the council have made significant progress, such as:

•  requiring new concession stalls (such as ice cream vans) to be plastic free – no longer using plastic straws, stirrers, cups, cutlery, bags etc and only selling bottles which are 100% recyclable.
• Providing guidance to support businesses and community groups to reduce SUP.
• Considering SUP in tender evaluation (social value) on high value purchases. 
• Promoting the reduction in SUP (including balloon / lantern releases) with local communities, including taking part in the recent ‘plastic free July’ campaign.  
• Removing single use plastic, such as tea and coffee sachets, from its office spaces. 

Cllr Roscue, a Labour councillor for Blundellsands, said: “The onset of the global pandemic and the associated reliance this has brought on SUP (e.g. face masks, test kits, gloves) is a cause for concern. 

“However, the desire to recover from the pandemic in a way which helps and protects the environment is real. 

“For example, a Generation Sea survey found that the pandemic had increased people’s appreciation for the environment by 79% and 63% of respondents planned to decrease their personal consumption of plastic going forward. 

“Therefore, the council resolves to strengthen the original SUP motion passed in 2018 and build on the good work which has been done to date. 

“This motion supports the council’s aspiration to gain ‘Plastic Free Community’ status – particularly in Waterloo and Crosby. 

“This is a community network across the UK working together to tackle SUP from beaches and green spaces.

“The Plastic Free Community status is governed by Surfers Against Sewage who require three pledges. To become part of the Plastic Free Community the Council would be required to provide a representative to sit on the Plastic Free Community Steering Group. This is a small group of local volunteers and businesses who meet at least twice a year to discuss SUP reduction progress locally and report back to Surfers Against Sewage. The council believes that the reduction of SUP would benefit health in Sefton, reduce waste and ultimately help protect our coast. Becoming part of the Plastic Free Community would further enhance this.”

This Thursday, Sefton Council councillors will be asked to vote to:  

• 1 – Continue to lead by example and remove single-use plastic items from its premises and operations 
• 2 – Continue to encourage plastic-free initiatives in the area; promoting the Plastic Free Community campaign and supporting events
• 3 – Appoint Councillor Diane Roscoe as the council’s representative to sit on the Plastic Free Community Steering Group
• 4 – Request the Executive Director of Corporate Resources and Customer Services to report progress of recommendations (1) – (3) above to future Meetings of the Cabinet for approval

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