Plastics Pollution take Action Today

Following on from the success of persuading the Autumn Liberal Democrat Conference in Brighton to pass the Plastic Pollution and UN Sustainable Development Goals Motion we would like you to persuade your local council; community group; employer and trade union to take action to tackle plastic, especially single use plastic. Below are examples of motions passed by county councils and local councils which you my wish to use as the basis of a motion to your local council; community group; employer and/or trade union. You may also want to use the Lewes Campaign Letter to local businesses

Let us know of Your success stories in the campaign against plastic pollution and to end single use plastics!

North Herts District Council

That the Chief Executive be instructed to produce an action plan to:

a) Minimise the Council's use of plastics and to eliminate the use of single use plastics and replace with sustainable alternatives by 2022.

b) Request all of the council's suppliers and contractors to remove single use plastics from their products and packaging as soon as possible.

c) Work with local businesses and retailers to

1. eliminate the use of single use plastic within the local authority area
2. reduce the use of plastic in packaging and work towards the removal of plastic from packaging
3. encourage them to require their suppliers to remove plastic from their products and from packaging.

The Council will also work with other public bodies and large employers to inform people of the environmental damage caused by plastics and promoting the reasons for using the alternatives."

This original motion was tabled by Cllr Sam Collins and Councillor Paul Clark but was amended by the majority Conservative Group to the above wording

REDUCING PLASTIC WASTE MOTION FROM BURY LIB DEMS

This Council notes with concern:

• That 300 million tons of new plastic is made each year, half of which is for single use plastic such as packaging and convenience foods. In many cases, such as plastic straws, takeaway food containers and coffee cups, there are practical alternatives available that are either reusable or sustainable.
• That in 2016, the Ellen MacArthur Foundation estimated that by weight, there could be more plastic in our oceans than fish, as soon as 2050. As plastics are durable and strong they will stay in our environment for up to an estimated 600 years. (Columbia University)
• That marine plastic leads to coastal / offshore dead zones, entanglement, death through ingestion, toxic transfer and, once degraded into micro plastics, contamination of the food chain - including our own. We are quite literally eating the plastic that has ended up in our seas.

Council welcomes:

• The significant increase in recycling achieved in the Borough in the last decade, through improvements to doorstep recycling.
• Policy adopted in 2017 in support of Deposit Return Schemes, and the significant reduction in plastic waste that such schemes could achieve.
• The success of the 'Plastic Bag Levy', introduced by the 2010-15 Coalition Government, which has led to an 85% reduction in disposable plastic bag usage.

This Council therefore commits that Bury will play its full role in helping to reduce plastic waste, specifically:

• That the Council will undertake an audit, within existing resources, of single use plastics used by the Authority seek to replace with sustainable or reusable alternatives where practicable.
• That the Council will play its role in helping to educate members of the public about plastic waste, specifically by including information for members of the public on reducing plastic waste in both online and written materials.
• That the Council will use its membership of the Greater Manchester Waste Disposal and Combined Authorities to work towards increasing the amount of plastic product that can be recycled through doorstep and other recycling.
• To write to both our members of Parliament and the European Parliament, and to the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, urging them to consider legislation and regulations which will reduce the amount of single use plastic used by society.
• To use the links we have with businesses in Bury to encourage them to reduce the amount of plastic waste produced and specifically to write to each of our major supermarkets asking them to consider introducing a 'plastic free aisle' in their Bury store(s) on a trial basis.

LIB DEM MOTION TO BE PUT TO SOUTH LAKELAND DISTRICT COUNCIL

This council will become a single use plastic free council by phasing out the use of single use plastic products such as bottles, cups, cutlery and drinking straws in council activities, where it is reasonable to do so, by the end of 2018 and to encourage our facilities' users local businesses and other local public agencies do the same by championing alternatives, such as reusable water bottles.

Lib Dem South Lakeland will also:

• Be promoting the refill scheme, whereby retail businesses agree to free water refills. The app that allows businesses to sign up is really easy.
• Have a free water fountain in our reception area and look to have them all around the area.
• Investigate having locally branded water containers for sale.

Below is the motion that was actually passed:

This council will become a single use plastic free council by phasing out the use of single use plastic products such as bottles, cups, cutlery and drinking straws in council activities, where it is reasonable to do so, by the end of 2018 and to encourage our facilities' users, local businesses and other local public agencies to do the same by championing alternatives, such as reusable water bottles.