News / Environment
‘Bristol’s single-use plastic habit is a permanent pollution burden’
It’s time for Bristol to confront society’s throwaway mentality and take a lead on banning single-use plastics, argue campaigners.
The strength of public support prompted a full council debate on the call for city leaders to tackle the scourge of unnecessary disposables that are polluting land and oceans.
This came on the same day Bristol City Council declared a climate emergency and set an ambitious target to become carbon neutral by 2030 – 20 years earlier than planned.
is needed now More than ever
Read more: Bristol declares climate emergency and pledges to become carbon neutral by 2030
“Bristol’s disposable plastic is an uncontrolled, ongoing maintenance bill for tax payers, and a permanent pollution burden. Too much is spent on ‘mopping up’ the consequences, and too little effort goes into reducing supply,” said Alex Morss, of campaign group One by One Conservation, as she presented the petition at a full council meeting on Tuesday.
“Whilst plastic has a low cost to sellers, it bears a high, long-term cost to tax payers, the council and our wildlife. And we need action from our leaders, to lead the way and stop it at source where they can.”
Alex Morss and Martin Fodor
Some 4,000 people signed a petition calling for a city-wide ban on single-use plastics. Speaking on their behalf, Morss implored the council to take more decisive action, slamming current targets as “weak and slow”.
“We need to confront this throwaway mentality,” she concluded.
“Unless you use your powers, you are agreeing that it’s OK to make, sell and buy products wrapped in entirely unnecessary, permanent pollutants.”
Martin Fodor, a Green councillor for Redland, helped lead the petition and argued it’s “high time Bristol played its part”.
Speaking after the meeting, he said: “Public opinion is now far ahead of the council on this issue – the scale of plastic pollution and the impacts on wildlife and our food chain is undeniable.
“People in Bristol expect their council to get on and take action to reduce plastic waste, and most of the proposals we made in this petition are already being carried out elsewhere.”
The petition calls for the council to do everything in its powers to cut unnecessary plastics; for example through event and licensing rules, making sustainable alternatives available and through practices in council-owned cafes.
The call gained cross-party support, with widespread agreement that a key element to success is lobbying the government to take the issue seriously.
Tom Brook, a Labour councillor for Bishopston and Ashley Down, said that as a society, we have “become addicted to plastics”.
“We now live in a world where plastics are widespread, yet the majority do not get recycled,” he said.
“There are 150 million tonnes of plastics in the oceans and by 2050, there will be more plastics in the oceans than fish. Hopefully those statistics will be enough to scare any doubters.”
Refill stations are now widely available across the city. Photo by Michelle Casaar
Setting out what the council is doing so far, Kye Dudd, the cabinet member for energy and waste, said that City Hall has now moved to re-usable cups only, 12 new water fountains are available across the city and work has been ongoing with young people to raise awareness of plastic use and Bristol’s Refill scheme.
Steve Smith, a Conservative councillor for Westbury-on-Trym and Henleaze, warned that the city needs to “tread carefully” so it does not “jump from the frying pan into the fire” by finding plastic alternatives that are no better for the environment.
Lib Dem Gary Hopkins, a councillor for Knowle, argued the lack of urgency on the matter has been a major issue.
‘Single-use’ was named the 2018 word of the year by Collins Dictionary, highlighting the extent of pubic pressure around the issue.
Fodor says that while talk around the subject is positive, he wants to see more radical action now.
Main photo: Plastics found on the Avon riverbanks in Bristol. Credit: Michelle Cassar
Read more: New zero waste shop opens in Clifton Village
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