Plan to reduce plastic use takes step forward

Plans for Denbighshire County Council to significantly reduce its use of single-use plastics have taken a step forward.

Members of the council’s Performance Scrutiny Committee have agreed proposals drawn up by a cross-party group of councillors to reduce the use of plastics within council offices, following a Notice of Motion approved by the Full Council. 

These proposals will now be put to Full Council in January 2020.

Proposals include the following within the council’s office buildings; no longer providing plastic water cups and single use paper/plastic cups for hot drinks and the removal of water coolers, automated hot drink machines and vending machines.

A campaign will also be launched to encourage everyone who comes to the three main Council offices to `bring their own cup’.

Graham Boase, the council’s Corporate Director, said: “Protecting the environment is a priority for the Council under its Corporate Plan and this project focuses on reducing the amount of single-use plastic within Council offices as well as showing leadership within the wider community.

“These actions will benefit the environment by reducing and avoiding the use of plastics in Council offices, as an example by just ending the provision of plastic cups at water coolers will see 140,000 fewer cups being used over the next ten years.”