The issue of single use plastics is high in the public consciousness and the Council has a significant opportunity to reduce usage in SouthCambs - through its roles as service provider, procurement agency, employer and advocate.
This Council notes:
· 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. Whilst some plastics have had a positive impact on our lives when used correctly, in many cases, such as plastic bags, straws, takeaway food containers, plastic bottles and coffee cups, there are practical alternatives available that are either reusable, recyclable or sustainable.
· That 800 million tonnes of the plastic produced each year ends up in our oceans. Plastic which ends up in the River Cam and other watercourses locally contributes to this total, and can release toxic chemicals which harm the health of wildlife.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 78 million tonnes of plastic packaging is produced every year, of which only 14% goes to recycling whilst 32% leaks into land and sea (Ellen MacArthur Foundation).
· 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.
· That South Cambridgeshire has a comprehensive recycling scheme for both householders and businesses and is able to collect the full range of plastic packaging for which recycling processes exist. We need to reduce the amount of plastic used whilst also ensuring that our collection system is used correctly and we capture as much of this plastic as possible.In 2017-18 the Shared Waste service collected 22,500 tonnes of recycling in the blue bins and 3,000 tonnes of this was plastic packaging.
· That the introduction of the 5p plastic bag levy has led to an 85% reduction in disposable plastic bag usage.
· That in 2015, Bristol adopted the “Refill” scheme which aims to get shops, cafes and businesses to offer free water refill points in every major city and town in England by 2021. Bristol city now has more than 200 free water refill points. It is estimated that if every city resident in Bristol refilled one bottle once a week, the city could cut the use of disposable bottles by 22.3 million a year. In December 2017, London Mayor Sadiq Khan pledged to create 20 new water fountains and other refill points together with a Refill app.
· That the Treasury has put out a call for evidence on Single Use Plastics and is exploring both a Deposit Return Scheme for plastic bottles and a reform of the Packaging Recovery Note system to strengthen Extended Producer Responsibility (a policy approach under which producers are given a significant responsibility for the treatment or disposal of post-consumer products).
This Council commits to become a leader in the reduction of single-use plastic waste, specifically:
· That the Council will become a single use plastic-free council by the end of 2018, by phasing out the use, provision and sale of the following avoidable single use plastic products: drinks bottles, cups, cutlery and drinking straws in all Council buildings and Council events, where it is reasonable to do so.
· The Council will review and extend its recycling system for office staff to increase the amount of recycling, including plastics, that we divert from disposal. This will be supported by an education campaign to staff as part of national recycling week.
· That the Council will promote the Refill scheme in its own Council buildings with a free water fountain in the reception area, and also through retail businesses across the district who agree to provide free water refills. The app that allows businesses to sign up is very easy to use.
· The Council will support local food retailers to choose packaging that is recyclable locally and help them to inform their customers of how to recycle it.
· The Council will increase its communication and advice to business regarding which items to recycle though our commercial collection service in order to increase use of the scheme. This will include new literature for customers and website.
· That the Council will organise with RECOUP (Recycling Of Used Plastics) a plastic education campaign (backed by plastic manufacturer and recyclers) for the public. This will focus on maximising recycling of plastic coupled with promotion of key reduction and reuse messages. That the Council will liaise with local schools as part of this campaign and encourage local pupils to promote the scheme with their families.
· The Council will promote plastic reduction and reuse as part of national “Zero Waste Week” in September 2018. As part of this awareness-raising, the Council will adopt and actively promote Cambridge Plastic Free Day on September 22nd (organised as part of Eco-Living Festival in Cambridge) making this a Greater Cambridge Plastic Free Day. The Council will organise a regional Plastics Conference in September 2019, involving businesses, supermarkets, research institutions, action groups and other local authorities to champion best practice and innovation.
· That the Greater Cambridge Waste Service will attend the National Communications Advisory Panel (NCAP) organised by WRAP (Waste and Recycling Action Programme) to ensure we incorporate the latest national campaign initiatives and guidance around plastic into our local campaigns to boost the impact of the education work we do.
· That the Council will use its membership of the Greater Cambridge Partnership and the Combined Authority to work towards increasing the amount of plastic products that can be recycled through doorstep and other recycling.
· That the Council will write to our members of Parliament and to the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, urging them to adopt legislation and regulations on bottle deposit scheme and charges for disposable cups, which will reduce the amount of single use plastic used by society.
Decision:
Following alteration of the original motion by the mover, with the consent of Council, Council AGREED the following motion:
The issue of single use plastics is high in the public consciousness and the Council has a significant opportunity to reduce usage in SouthCambs - through its roles as service provider, procurement agency, employer and advocate.
This Council notes:
· 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. Whilst some plastics have had a positive impact on our lives when used correctly, in many cases, such as plastic bags, straws, takeaway food containers, plastic bottles and coffee cups, there are practical alternatives available that are either reusable, recyclable or sustainable.
· That 800 million tonnes of the plastic produced each year ends up in our oceans. Plastic which ends up in the River Cam and other watercourses locally contributes to this total, and can release toxic chemicals which harm the health of wildlife.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 78 million tonnes of plastic packaging is produced every year, of which only 14% goes to recycling whilst 32% leaks into land and sea (Ellen MacArthur Foundation).
· 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.
· That South Cambridgeshire has a comprehensive recycling scheme for both householders and businesses and is able to collect the full range of plastic packaging for which recycling processes exist. We need to reduce the amount of plastic used whilst also ensuring that our collection system is used correctly and we capture as much of this plastic as possible.In 2017-18 the Shared Waste service collected 22,500 tonnes of recycling in the blue bins and 3,000 tonnes of this was plastic packaging.
· That the introduction of the 5p plastic bag levy has led to an 85% reduction in disposable plastic bag usage.
· That in 2015, Bristol adopted the “Refill” scheme which aims to get shops, cafes and businesses to offer free water refill points in every major city and town in England by 2021. Bristol city now has more than 200 free water refill points. It is estimated that if every city resident in Bristol refilled one bottle once a week, the city could cut the use of disposable bottles by 22.3 million a year. In December 2017, London Mayor Sadiq Khan pledged to create 20 new water fountains and other refill points together with a Refill app.
· That the Treasury has put out a call for evidence on Single Use Plastics and is exploring both a Deposit Return Scheme for plastic bottles and a reform of the Packaging Recovery Note system to strengthen Extended Producer Responsibility (a policy approach under which producers are given a significant responsibility for the treatment or disposal of post-consumer products).
Accordingly this Council agrees to task the Climate Change and Environment Advisory Committee, in co-ordination with the Environmental Services and Licensing Portfolio Holder and other relevant Portfolio Holders, with:
(a) investigating ways in which this Council can significantly reduce the sale, provision and use of avoidable single-use plastic and influence its neighbours and partners to do likewise; and
(b) bringing forward its final evidence-based recommendations to Cabinet before the end of this year.
Minutes:
In accordance with Council Standing Order No. 14.7(a), Councillor Pippa Heylings indicated that she proposed to alter the motion of which she had given notice, with the consent of the meeting, by deletion of the third paragraph of the motion (on page vi of the Council agenda) which began with the words “This Council commits….” and ended with the words “used by society.” and the insertion of the following words:-
“Accordingly this Council agrees to task the Climate Change and Environment Advisory Committee, in coordination with Environmental Services and Licensing Portfolio Holder and other relevant Portfolio Holders, with:
(a) investigating ways in which this Council can significantly reduce the sale, provision and use of avoidable single-use plastic and influence its neighbours and partners to do likewise; and
(b) bringing forward its final evidence-based recommendations to Cabinet before the end of this year.”
Councillor Heylings accordingly moved the following motion, as altered:-
“The issue of single use plastics is high in the public consciousness and the Council has a significant opportunity to reduce usage in SouthCambs - through its roles as service provider, procurement agency, employer and advocate.
This Council notes:
· 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. Whilst some plastics have had a positive impact on our lives when used correctly, in many cases, such as plastic bags, straws, takeaway food containers, plastic bottles and coffee cups, there are practical alternatives available that are either reusable, recyclable or sustainable.
· That 800 million tonnes of the plastic produced each year ends up in our oceans. Plastic which ends up in the River Cam and other watercourses locally contributes to this total, and can release toxic chemicals which harm the health of wildlife. 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 78 million tonnes of plastic packaging is produced every year, of which only 14% goes to recycling whilst 32% leaks into land and sea (Ellen MacArthur Foundation).
· 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.
· That South Cambridgeshire has a comprehensive recycling scheme for both householders and businesses and is able to collect the full range of plastic packaging for which recycling processes exist. We need to reduce the amount of plastic used whilst also ensuring that our collection system is used correctly and we capture as much of this plastic as possible. In 2017-18 the Shared Waste service collected 22,500 tonnes of recycling in the blue bins and 3,000 tonnes of this was plastic packaging.
· That the introduction of the 5p plastic bag levy has led to an 85% reduction in disposable plastic bag usage.
· That in 2015, Bristol adopted the “Refill” scheme which aims to get shops, cafes and businesses to offer free water refill points in every major city and town in England by 2021. Bristol city now has more than 200 free water refill points. It is estimated that if every city resident in Bristol refilled one bottle once a week, the city could cut the use of disposable bottles by 22.3 million a year. In December 2017, London Mayor Sadiq Khan pledged to create 20 new water fountains and other refill points together with a Refill app.
· That the Treasury has put out a call for evidence on Single Use Plastics and is exploring both a Deposit Return Scheme for plastic bottles and a reform of the Packaging Recovery Note system to strengthen Extended Producer Responsibility (a policy approach under which producers are given a significant responsibility for the treatment or disposal of post-consumer products).
Accordingly this Council agrees to task the Climate Change and Environment Advisory Committee, in co-ordination with the Environmental Services and Licensing Portfolio Holder and other relevant Portfolio Holders, with:
(a) investigating ways in which this Council can significantly reduce the sale, provision and use of avoidable single-use plastic and influence its neighbours and partners to do likewise; and
(b) bringing forward its final evidence-based recommendations to Cabinet before the end of this year.”
In moving the motion, Councillor Heylings stated that both the best and the worst thing about single use plastic was its durability. She cited examples she had witnessed around the world of the distressing impact of discarded plastic on marine life. Councillor Heylings pointed out that on the European coasts 43% of marine litter was made up of 10 of the most abundant single use plastics, including bottles, cups, straws and cotton buds. Petroleum based plastic was not biodegradable and that which was not recycled ended up as litter and went into landfill, breaking down into tiny particulates which leaked into the waterways and into the seas. She noted that the pressure on recycling was increasing and would only get worse with Chinese ban on receiving plastics from the UK and other countries. Councillor Heylings therefore believed that the Council should become a leader in the reduction of single-use plastics. She explained that the alteration to her motion was intended to allow the Climate Change and Environment Advisory Committee to review in detail the proposals on page vi of the agenda, to identify any “quick wins” that could be achieved, to understand any costs associated with other proposals and to bring back evidenced based recommendations to Cabinet.
The motion was seconded by Councillor Nigel Cathcart. He commented on action that the Council could take in support of the motion, such as encouraging restaurant proprietors to use biodegradable products for take away containers. The motion presented an opportunity for the Council to review the use of single use plastics and to avoid using them wherever they were harmful to the environment.
During discussion:-
· Councillor Nick Wright suggested that no one could disagree with the motion but questioned why it had been submitted to Council rather than directly to the Climate Change and Environment Advisory Committee.
· Councillor Sue Ellington asked where this matter would sit within the organisation and who would lead on it.
· Councillor Bridget Smith was pleased to hear the general level of support for the motion and stressed that doing nothing was not an option.
· Councillor Deborah Roberts welcomed the motion as an opportunity for the Council to take a lead in the reduction of single use plastics. She suggested that District Councillors could take the message back to their Parish Councils and to also promote the message via local schools.
· Councillor Heather Williams also welcomed the motion, noting it was important to leave a sustainable future for the next generation. She reported that she had already taken the opportunity to raise the issue locally with school leaders and pensioners’ groups.
· Councillor Tom Bygott suggested that radical changes in the economy and in technology might lead to an end to the oil industry, requiring development of alternative solutions to oil based plastics.
· Councillor Neil Gough, responding to Councillor Ellington’s earlier question, confirmed that Environmental Services were working to identify the priority issues and the associated resource requirements in order that that the Council was able to deliver the initiatives proposed in the motion. He suggested that it was important that the Council demonstrated good practice internally and set a positive example for residents and businesses to follow.
· Councillor Dr. Shrobona Bhattacharya sought information about the alternatives to single use plastics.
· Councillor Henry Batchelor reported that the County Council had approved a similar motion and in accordance with Council Standing Order No. 14 (a) (ii) moved that the question be now put.
Council, by affirmation
RESOLVED:
The issue of single use plastics is high in the public consciousness and the Council has a significant opportunity to reduce usage in South Cambs - through its roles as service provider, procurement agency, employer and advocate.
This Council notes:
· 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. Whilst some plastics have had a positive impact on our lives when used correctly, in many cases, such as plastic bags, straws, takeaway food containers, plastic bottles and coffee cups, there are practical alternatives available that are either reusable, recyclable or sustainable.
· That 800 million tonnes of the plastic produced each year ends up in our oceans. Plastic which ends up in the River Cam and other watercourses locally contributes to this total, and can release toxic chemicals which harm the health of wildlife. 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 78 million tonnes of plastic packaging is produced every year, of which only 14% goes to recycling whilst 32% leaks into land and sea (Ellen MacArthur Foundation).
· 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.
· That South Cambridgeshire has a comprehensive recycling scheme for both householders and businesses and is able to collect the full range of plastic packaging for which recycling processes exist. We need to reduce the amount of plastic used whilst also ensuring that our collection system is used correctly and we capture as much of this plastic as possible. In 2017-18 the Shared Waste service collected 22,500 tonnes of recycling in the blue bins and 3,000 tonnes of this was plastic packaging.
· That the introduction of the 5p plastic bag levy has led to an 85% reduction in disposable plastic bag usage.
· That in 2015, Bristol adopted the “Refill” scheme which aims to get shops, cafes and businesses to offer free water refill points in every major city and town in England by 2021. Bristol city now has more than 200 free water refill points. It is estimated that if every city resident in Bristol refilled one bottle once a week, the city could cut the use of disposable bottles by 22.3 million a year. In December 2017, London Mayor Sadiq Khan pledged to create 20 new water fountains and other refill points together with a Refill app.
· That the Treasury has put out a call for evidence on Single Use Plastics and is exploring both a Deposit Return Scheme for plastic bottles and a reform of the Packaging Recovery Note system to strengthen Extended Producer Responsibility (a policy approach under which producers are given a significant responsibility for the treatment or disposal of post-consumer products).
Accordingly this Council agrees to task the Climate Change and Environment Advisory Committee, in co-ordination with the Environmental Services and Licensing Portfolio Holder and other relevant Portfolio Holders, with:
(a) investigating ways in which this Council can significantly reduce the sale, provision and use of avoidable single-use plastic and influence its neighbours and partners to do likewise; and
(b) bringing forward its final evidence-based recommendations to Cabinet before the end of this year.