Plastic Free Status for Weston-super-Mare

9th August 2018

Categories: Latest News

We’re excited to announce that Weston-super-Mare has received the coveted Surfers Against Sewage ‘Plastic Free Community’ status. A team of local volunteers, keen to reduce the plastic pollution originating from our town, have been working together tirelessly to secure the town’s plastic-free status.

They’ve been required to meet 5 objectives set by Surfers Against Sewage as part of their campaign to inspire grass roots action to reduce plastic use in communities nationwide.

In December, Weston-super-Mare Town Council was one of the first in the country to unanimously support a plastic-free motion and commit to reducing single-use plastic in council premises.

Business support has been absolutely crucial to securing the status. Due to Weston-super-Mare’s population, 30 businesses were needed to remove three single-use items of plastic. By the end of July, 50 businesses had ditched three items of plastic, with another 20 making changes and commitments where they could.

The wider community has also been involved, thousands of schoolchildren have been taking part in litter-picks and beach cleans, and have created artwork and written persuasive letters and posters to tell others how to refuse single-use plastics.

The Weston-super-Mare Visitor Information Centre is one of the first of its kind to offer free water refills in a bid to cut down plastic pollution.

The Cleaner Coastlines steering committee will be dedicated to continuing the campaign and creating a legacy for the project. You can learn more on their Facebook page at Cleaner Coastlines: Weston and North Somerset plastic-free campaign.

Thank you to everyone in Weston-super-Mare working hard to discover new ways to do things using less plastic; to the team of volunteers who co-ordinated the ‘Cleaner Coastlines Project and also to Surfers Against Sewage for providing the framework for the scheme.