WORCESTER City Council has agreed to end the purchase and use of ‘single-use plastic’ products, such as bottles, cups, cutlery and drinking straws, for any council-related activity.
And the organisation has joined forces with the Plastic Free Worcester action group in a bid to encourage other organisations, businesses and event planners to take action in 2019.
“As the organisation responsible for the collection of waste in Worcester, we felt it was time to put words in to action and stop purchasing single-use plastics altogether,” said Coun Louis Stephen, Chair of the Worcester City Council’s Policy and Resources Committee.
“I would urge other local businesses and organisations to do the right thing: put the environment first and reduce your use of plastic in 2019.”
The City Council is now considering asking prospective suppliers to demonstrate what action they are taking to reduce plastic consumption within their organisation, as a contractual obligation.
Kim Tanner from Plastic Free Worcester said: “It’s great news that Worcester City Council is joining the resistance against single use plastics and has realised the importance of the growing impact that throwaway culture is having on our planet. We look forward to working together, so Worcester can be added to the growing list of Plastic Free communities in the UK”.
Plastic Free Worcester meets at The Hive café on the third Monday of every month at 7.15pm (next meeting Monday 21 January). Individuals and representatives from local businesses and organisations are welcome to come and get advice on how to reduce plastic usage.
The Zero Waste Worcestershire group has also created an online map indicating where plastic free products or products with no plastic packaging can be purchased: https://zerowasteworcestershire.com/shopping-map-2/
