Proposed by: Councillor Ashley Wood
Seconded by: Councillor Emma Sandrey
Cardiff 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].
· Plastics such as polystyrene cannot be recycled.
· Paper coffee cups are often fused with polyethylene which makes them difficult to recycle.
· Re-use is always preferable to recycling or disposal, as it requires less energy.
· Small businesses across South Wales are taking proactive steps to encourage consumers to use less plastic [3].
· Students from Cardiff University are also leading the way with a ‘No Straw campaign’ [4].
We call on Cardiff Council to:
· Phase out all single use plastics, including cups, lids, plastic bottles, plastic-lined cardboard, and any other single use plastics from the entire Cardiff Council Estate by the end of the 2018-19 financial year.
· Ensure all organisations in receipt of council funds make a commitment to sustainable practices and be encouraged to phase out all single use plastics.
· Urge all businesses with which we work, through procurement avenues and other networks, to promote the phasing out of similar products in their business environments.
· Provide re-useable cups and utensils where required and make provisions for cleaning of said items.
· Support the introduction of public drinking water fountains and re-fill stations.
· Investigate a deposit return scheme for Cardiff.
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