Sefton Council have joined organisations across the UK in celebrating Plastic Free July and reflecting how we can all do more to reduce plastic pollution.

Plastic-free concessions

In 2018, Sefton Council passed a motion to reduce the use of single use plastics to protect our borough, particularly our coastal environment.

Since then, the Council have required new concessions stalls, e.g. ice cream vans to be plastic free – no longer using plastic straws, stirrers, cups, cutlery, bags etc and only selling bottles which are 100% recyclable.

Small changes

The Council are calling on residents and businesses to think about:

• Bringing or borrowing a reusable coffee cup or dining-in where possible
• Avoid using cleaning products packages in single-use plastic
• Celebrate in style with plastic free decorations
• Swap liquid soap for bar soaps and avoid single-use plastic
• Using reusable containers for lunches and picnics when at work or on day trips
• Avoiding plastic disposable straws, cutlery, cups or plates etc.
• Making sure that if you do use some plastic items, please take them home with you and put them in your recycle bin

Recyclable plastic 

In Sefton, almost all plastic bottles can be recycled in brown bins, as long as they are not black. These should be rinsed out, with the label and lid still attached.

Soft plastic items, such as plastic bags, are not currently able to be recycled. It is always worth checking food and drink packaging as most will specify whether or not it can be recycled.

Cllr Paulette Lappin, Cabinet Member for Regulatory, Compliance and Corporate Services said: “Plastic is a material designed to last for hundreds of years but we now make things that are used just once and thrown away. A plastic bag is used, on average, for 12 minutes, but it’s likely to be around when our great-great-great grandchildren are born!

“Sefton Council have made great strides in phasing out single use plastics in our Borough, but we all have to work together to reduce them even further.

“Plastic Free July should get people thinking about how a small change can result in a big reduction in single use plastics across the Borough and I hope people will join me in changing One Small Thing about the way we live to make Sefton cleaner and greener.”

Global campaign

Plastic Free July is a global movement that helps millions of people be part of the solution to plastic pollution – so we can have cleaner streets, oceans, and beautiful communities. You can find more great tips on becoming plastic free at the Plastic Free July website