Decision details

The Lord Mayor advised that the notice of motion proposed by Councillor Jones-Pritchard and seconded by Councillor Lancaster had been received for consideration and was included on the Summons for the meeting.  Two amendments had been received to the motion.

 

The Lord Mayor invited Councillor Jones-Pritchard to propose the motion as follows:

 

That this Council recognise the damage that waste plastics cause to the world wide environment, acknowledge that there are measures we can take now to reduce, or cease, our contribution to that contamination and damage and commit to becoming a “Plastic Free” City.

 

This Council resolves to start the process to becoming a Plastic-Free city by;

·         Supporting Plastic Free Coastlines, committing to plastic free alternatives and supporting plastic free initiatives within the City.  Setting the example and leading the way by removing single-use plastics from Council premises, encouraging plastic free initiatives and promoting the removal of single-use plastics elsewhere.

·         Working to encourage local businesses and retailers to stop using, and selling, single-use plastic items, replacing them with sustainable alternatives. 

·         Creating plastic-free community spaces in our parks, libraries, hybs, community and leisure centres. 

·         Working with stakeholders to create plastic-free schools, colleges and organisations.

·         Promoting or organising community events to remove plastic waste from our coastline and elsewhere.

·         Seeking to set up, with local businesses and community representatives, a stakeholders group to further this aim.

Examples of single use plastics and alternatives are;  

·         Paper instead of plastic straws,

·         Recyclable or reusable cups

·         Metal, compostable or other material instead of plastic cutlery

·         No single serve condiment sachets

·         Compostable or reuseable stirrers

·         Paper bags or wrapping instead of plastic

·         Reuseable bottles instead of throwaway plastic

·         Punched and bound papers instead of polypockets.

·         Seeking alternatives to laminating paper public notices for a non plastic option.

Opportunities;

·         Schools plastic free policy

·         Planning condition, perhaps with Welsh Government support, for inclusion in management or waste policies

·         Increase our percentage of recyclable waste, reduce incineration and landfill

·         Our offices, parks, hubs, schools, libraries, leisure centres, vehicles and thousands of staff

·         Our purchasing and influencing power with supplies, partners and stakeholders

·         Future Generations Act – this has to be one of the most compliant decisions that can possibly be made!

The Motion was seconded by Councillor Lancaster

 

The Lord Mayor took each of the amendments in turn

 

Amendment 1:          Proposed by Councillor Wood

Seconded by Councillor Sandrey

 

After the first paragraph replace all text with: -

 

This Council notes that:

 

·         Single use plastics create unnecessary waste with negative impacts on our communities and environment.  Approximately 400 million tonnes of plastic are produced globally each year of which 40% is intended to be single-use [1].

·         Over 8 million tonnes of plastic enter the world's oceans each year, with most originating from the land [2].

·         Many plastics, including polystyrene, cannot be recycled and paper coffee cups are often fused with polyethylene making them difficult to recycle.

·         Re-use is preferable to recycling or disposal, requiring less energy and creating less waste.

·         Small businesses across South Wales are taking proactive steps to encourage consumers to use less plastic [3].

·         Cardiff University students have already taken the initiative with a ‘No Straw campaign’ [4].

 

This Council resolves to start the process to becoming a Plastic-Free city by:

 

·         Supporting Plastic Free Coastlines, committing to plastic free alternatives and supporting plastic free initiatives within the City.  Setting the example and leading the way by aiming to remove all single-use plastics from Council premises by the end of the 2018-19 financial year, and promoting the removal of single-use plastics elsewhere.

·         Urging all business with which we work, through procurement avenues and other networks, to promote the phasing out of similar products in their business environments. Furthermore, encourage all local businesses and retailers to stop using, and selling, single-use plastic items, replacing them with sustainable alternatives.

·         Ensuring all organisations in receipt of council funds to make a commitment to sustainable practices and be encouraged to phase out all single use plastics.

·         Seeking to set up a stakeholders group including community representatives, to further this aim, in all business environments and communities.

·         Creating plastic-free community spaces in our parks, libraries, hubs, community and leisure centres. 

·         Working with stakeholders to create plastic-free schools, colleges and other organisations.

·         Continuing to promote, organise and support community events to remove plastic waste from our coastline and elsewhere.

·         Developing a plastics policy.

Opportunities:

·         Schools plastic free policy

·         Supporting the wider introduction and use of water fountains and re-fill stations.

·         Planning conditions for inclusion in management or waste policies

·         Increase our percentage of recyclable waste, reducing incineration and landfill

·         Our offices, parks, hubs, schools, libraries, leisure centres, vehicles and thousands of staff

·         Our purchasing and influencing power with suppliers, partners and stakeholders

·         Future Generations Act – this has to be one of the most compliant decisions possible!

1. Geyer R, Jambeck JR, Law KL. Production, use, and fate of all plastics ever made. Sci Adv. 2017;3(7).

2. “BBC to ban single-use plastics by 2020 after Blue Planet II”. http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-43051153

3. “Momentum builds in small businesses to curb plastic use”.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-42832201

4. “Students spearhead anti-plastic movement in Cardiff”.

http://www.jomec.co.uk/intercardiff/environment/students-spearhead-anti-plastic-movement-in-cardiff

 

Amendment 2:          Proposed by Councillor Michael

Seconded by Councillor Lister

 

First Paragraph delete all after damage and replace with: -

 

Single use plastics create unnecessary waste with negative impacts on our communities and environment.

 

Approximately 400 million tonnes of plastic are produced globally each year of which 40% is intended to be single use.

 

Over 8 million tonnes of plastic enter the world’s oceans each year with most originating from the land.

 

Re-use is always preferable to recycling or disposal, as it requires less energy and creates less waste.

 

Businesses across South Wales are taking proactive steps to encourage consumers to use less plastic.

 

Cardiff is the leading city in the UK for recycling.

 

Cardiff is the best city of the 10 core cities for recycling.

 

Cardiff’s new 2018-21 Waste Strategy will focus on meeting the targets set by WAG of 70% recycling by 2025.

 

Cardiff Council will identify recycling streams that will add to our recycling figures and calls on all Councillors for support. 

 

This Council recognises the good work being done to increase recycling.

 

This Council recognises the damage to our World by waste, including single use items and calls on the UK Government to take steps to reduce waste and prevent it getting into the oceans and causing more harm.

 

This Council calls on the Cabinet to continue:

 

(i)    to work with partners such as the No Straw Stand to get the message on single use straws, as well as working with them on getting environmental Education books to every primary school, and giving them space on our ‘Love Where You Live’ website.

 

(ii)  to work with Welsh Water on Refill Stations such as:-

 

·         Cardiff Central Library

·         Grangetown Hub

·         Llandaff North & Gabalfa Hub

·         Llanishen Hub

·         Llanrumney Hub

·         Rhydypennau Hub

·         Rumney Hub

·         St Mellons Hub

·         Star Hub

This Council further calls on the Cabinet to ensure that we continue to explore markets for recycling previously thought to be not recyclable such as: -

·         Car Tyres;

·         UPVC Double Glazing;

·         Polystyrene

·         Mattresses etc.,

This Council calls on the Cabinet to produce a report outlining plans by October 2018 to reduce single use items on council premises such as cups, wrapping, bags etc.,

 

And further calls on the Cabinet to discuss with partners and stakeholders on the reduction of single use items.

 

The Lord Mayor invited debate on the motion.  At the conclusion of the debate the Lord Mayor invited Councillor Jones-Pritchard to sum up.  In summing up Councillor Jones Pritchard indicated that he accepted amendment 2 as the substantive motion.

 

The Lord Mayor moved to the votes.

 

The vote on Amendment 1 was LOST

 

The vote on the Substantive Motion was CARRIED as follows: -

 

That this Council recognise the damage that waste plastics cause to the world wide environment, acknowledge that there are measures we can take now to reduce, or cease, our contribution to that contamination and damage.

 

Single use plastics create unnecessary waste with negative impacts on our communities and environment.

 

Approximately 400 million tonnes of plastic are produced globally each year of which 40% is intended to be single use. 

 

Over 8 million tonnes of plastic enter the world’s oceans each year with most originating from the land. 

 

Re-use is always preferable to recycling or disposal, as it requires less energy and creates less waste.

 

Businesses across South Wales are taking proactive steps to encourage consumers to use less plastic.

 

Cardiff is the leading city in the UK for recycling.

 

Cardiff is the best city of the 10 core cities for recycling.

 

Cardiff’s new 2018-21 Waste Strategy will focus on meeting the targets set by WAG of 70% recycling by 2025.

 

Cardiff Council will identify recycling streams that will add to our recycling figures and calls on all Councillors for support. 

 

This Council recognises the good work being done to increase recycling.

 

This Council recognises the damage to our World by waste, including single use items and calls on the UK Government to take steps to reduce waste and prevent it getting into the oceans and causing more harm. 

 

This Council calls on the Cabinet to continue:

 

(i)          to work with partners such as the No Straw Stand to get the message on single use straws, as well as working with them on getting environmental Education books to every primary school, and giving them space on our ‘Love Where You Live’ website.

 

(ii)         to work with Welsh Water on Refill Stations such as:-

 

·         Cardiff Central Library

·         Grangetown Hub

·         Llandaff North & Gabalfa Hub

·         Llanishen Hub

·         Llanrumney Hub

·         Rhydypennau Hub

·         Rumney Hub

·         St Mellons Hub

·         Star Hub

This Council further calls on the Cabinet to ensure that we continue to explore markets for recycling previously thought to be not recyclable such as: -

·         Card Tyres;

·         UPVC Double Glazing;

·         Polystyrene

·         Mattresses etc.,

This Council calls on the Cabinet to produce a report outlining plans by October 2018 to reduce single use items on council premises such as cups, wrapping, bags etc.,

 

And further calls on the Cabinet to discuss with partners and stakeholders on the reduction of single use items.