Going Plastic Free With Your Local Council

Local councils can be pivotal in bringing about the changes and support needed to build a sustainable Plastic Free Community. Councils are in a position to lead, influence and make change. They are well connected to local organisations, like schools, hospitals and businesses. When they come together to support a plastic free campaign, it strengthens the whole Plastic Free movement.

The first step that our Plastic Free Communities take to engage with their local council, is to work with them to pass a Plastic Free Motion. It’s a key step for our communities working towards achieving Plastic Free Status for their community.

What is the Plastic Free Motion?

The motion contains three parts, and has to be agreed in a council meeting:

1. The council agrees to put a member on the plastic free steering group (A plastic free steering group is made up of local stakeholders helping to lead and co-ordinate their local campaign)

2. The council agrees to support all Plastic Free Communities initiatives in the area.

3. The council pledges to act by example and phase out single-use plastic items from its operations and premises.

After passing the motion, a council supports local plastic free initiatives, and works together with their Plastic Free Community to spread the message. They can encourage schools, businesses, community groups and individuals to get involved, reaching out to a wide audience through their website, social media and public communications.

The motion is a great foundation for councils to help drive local change on single-use plastics, and many of our communities continue to work collaboratively with their council after achieving Plastic Free Status for the community together.

Going beyond the Motion

After agreeing to remove avoidable single-use plastic from council premises and operations, many councils set up working groups, run plastic audits, put in place single-use plastic policies, and make further plans to take local action together with their Plastic Free Communities.

With 1 in 10 barrels of oil used to make plastic and a key driver of climate change, single-use plastic is a key element to be considered in council net-zero, environmental, waste and sustainability policies and plans.

Here’s just some of the ways our communities have worked with their councils to drive sustainable long-term local action on single-use plastic…

Plastic Free Chesham first engaged their local council through a local contact, who was interested in the idea of building a Plastic Free Community, and it just so happened they were also a Town Councillor. With their help they approached the CEO of the council to discuss the council coming on board.

Chesham Town Council have shown amazing support for the local campaign. The Town Mayor has been present every time their group has presented a Plastic Free Champion Award to a local business. The council have shared films and photographs widely on social media to promote these moments and the plastic free movement. Dave’s favourite moment working with the council has been their groups success with making the Mayor Making Ceremony a plastic free event.

Plastic Free Bembridge community lead, Lindsey, had previously worked with the council as part of a Sustainability Working Group, and used this group to help set up Bembridge as a Plastic Free Community. At group meetings Lindsey put plastic free on the agenda, and from there the council passed a Plastic Free Motion and worked together to achieve Plastic Free Status. A great achievement for the whole community.

Their parish council have been very supportive, putting a councillor on their steering group, giving the group a meeting space to use, helping to prints posters and leaflets and providing a free stall space at the Parish Council information days.

Local councils play a huge part in the success of the UK plastic free movement. They bring our communities together, through local education, events, initiatives, promotion, working groups and policy change. Every motion passed and every council coming onboard, helps us break free from single-use plastic, and stops it’s production for good.

Want to join the UKs biggest Plastic Free Movement?

Find out more about how you can lead your community to take action on plastic locally

Sign up your business to become a Plastic Free Champion >> https://plasticfree.org.uk/get-involved/business/

Find your local community >> https://plasticfree.org.uk/get-involved/find-your-community/

Get an action plan >> https://plasticfree.org.uk/get-involved/individuals/