Local litter pick highlights plastic waste problem

London Road Litter Pick

Six hubcaps, empty crisp packets, takeaway containers, fast food packaging, one syringe and drinks cans were among a dozen bags of trash collected by Green Party volunteers who organised a litter pick along the London Road.

With the support and collaboration of Stroud District Council, which provided litter pick tools and bags, the volunteers spent two hours cleaning up along the A419 between Bowbridge and Thrupp.

“I was amazed at the amount of plastic rubbish we found thrown along the roadside,” said Rachel Smith, Green Party County Councillor for the Minchinhampton Division. “We know that this material never decomposes and has worked its way into the food chain, into our rivers and seas and is literally choking wildlife. Cleaning up is a good thing to do but we have to take it to the source and stop the consumption of so much single use plastic.”

Martin Whiteside, Green Councillor for Thrupp on Stroud District Council, expressed his appreciation for the volunteers who took time out of their weekends to collect rubbish on a hot Sunday morning. “I am especially grateful to Yvon Dignon who pulled it all together and even went out earlier in the day to do the required risk assessment of the route. It was a brilliant demonstration of commitment to our community by everyone involved.”

In April, Stroud District Council (SDC) joined over 200 other communities in the UK that are aiming to ditch single-use plastic (1). SDC is now committed to ending the purchase and procurement of single use plastics through the Council’s supply chain by 2025 and to stopping the sale of single use plastic products at council sites and events by 2020.

Green party members and supporters who would like to organise a litter pick in their area are invited to get in touch with Yvonne Dignon, membership secretary, for more information on how to do this.

[1]: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-devon-43143439

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