Devon councils team up to tackle plastic pollution

The Big Plastic Count runs from Monday 16 May to Sunday 22 May

Two councils in Devon have teamed up with a local environmental charity to encourage people, schools and businesses to take part in a national campaign.

North Devon and Torridge councils said they had partnered with Plastic Free North Devon to encourage locals to partake in the Big Plastic Count.

The councils said they recycled 1,497 tonnes of plastic in 2021.

Bosses of the campaign said it aimed to show how much plastic was used in packaging and they hoped to help people understand the amount of plastic they received and handled each week.

The outcome would be put forward to the government to help decide "more ambitious" future targets for plastic waste reduction, they said.

Sustainability and climate officer at North Devon and Torridge councils Donna Sibley said the count would "help make a difference".

“Helping all of us focus on just how much plastic is generated in a single week of counting will hopefully reveal the scale of the plastic problem, which we can then use to promote change for the better," she said.

Plastic Free North Devon head Claire Moodie said legislation was "essential" to combat plastic pollution.

She said: "The Big Plastic Count ticks all those boxes and, with people's help, we can generate the numbers that will show the often hidden scale of the problem of plastics in our supply chain.

"It is crucial that large corporations urgently reduce the amount of associated product waste they are forcing into our communities and provide the tools to help consumers reduce their plastic footprint."