Redruth becomes latest Cornish town to be awarded Plastic Free Community status
It comes from Surfers Against Sewage, for its work to reduce single-use plastics
Last updated 3rd May 2022
The Cornish town of Redruth has joined a network of communities across the UK who are leading the way to tackle throw away plastic at source.
The town has been awarded Plastic Free Community status by marine conservation charity, Surfers Against Sewage (SAS), in recognition of the work it has done to start reducing the impact of single-use plastic on the environment.
Local resident Demelza Stevenson and Redruth Town Council started the campaign earlier this year, after being motivated by seeing the large amount of single use plastic being used in and around the area.
Registering with the SAS Plastic Free Communities movement, Demelza pulled together key organisations and businesses in the town to put in place a five-point plan.
The objectives include; setting up a community led steering group, instigating the SAS Plastic Free Schools education programme, getting local council commitment and working with local businesses, organisations and community groups to spread the word and minimise the amount of disposable plastics they use.
Demelza said: "The independent businesses in the town have been amazing and super keen to make positive changes; they seem to recognise that customers are asking to see a reduction in single use plastic".
Some of the changes which businesses have made are utilising the local refill stations for cleaning products, changing suppliers, rethinking how items are packaged and of course the old favourite of removing plastic bags.
The team say the community has been so supportive by organising and attending litter picks around the town and they are grateful to the local Biffa team who have been taking the waste away for recycling to keep it from landfill.
As well as local businesses and residents, community spaces such as the library and the community centre have supported the drive and have both committed to being single use plastic free spaces.
Demelza added: "Of course, Redruth is not completely free of single use plastic, our next focus is the businesses on the industrial estates and the chain stores where the decision maker may need a little more time and information".
The Surfers Against Sewage Plastic Free Community network aims to free the places where we live from single-use. Using the five point plan the aim is to empower communities to kick start local grassroots action, which can then be built upon.
The marine conservation charity, based in St Agnes, says it wants to unite communities to tackle avoidable plastic from the beach all the way back to the brands and businesses who create it. It says it is not about removing all plastic from our lives, but kicking our addiction to throwaway plastic and changing the system that produces it.
Rachel Yates, SAS Plastic Free Communities Project Manager, said: "It's great to see the work that Redruth has done to reduce the availability of avoidable plastics, raise awareness and encourage people to refill and reuse.
"We have over six hundred communities across the UK working to reduce single use plastic and the impact it has on our environment.
"Every step those communities and the individuals in them take is a step towards tackling the problem at source, challenging our throwaway culture and encouraging the habit and system changes we need to see".
For anyone who wants to get involved, Redruth's next clean-up event is on Saturday 14th May at 1030, meeting in the Buttermarket.