CO-OPs in Evesham and in Honeybourne are at the fore of retailer’s move to ditch single-use plastics with roll-out of compostable carriers which will replace around 60million single-use plastic bags UK-wide.
The move has seen single use plastic carrier bags removed and replaced with the environmentally-friendly alternative in those communities where the new bags are accepted as part of household food waste recycling.
Shoppers who forget their bag-for-life can use the compostable bags to carry shopping home, the bags then have a secondary use as food waste caddy liners. Initially rolled-out to areas where local councils accepts them as part of household food waste collections, the bags can then be turned into peat-free compost along with the household food waste. The compostable carrier bags are also approved for home composting.
The not-for-profit compostable carriers are priced at 5p – the same price as the conventional single-use plastic bags they have replaced.
Iain Ferguson, Environment Manager, Co-op, said: “Our members and customers expect us to help them to make more ethical choices, and we are committed to doing just that. Reducing the environmental impact of products is, and always has been, at the core of Co-op’s efforts.
“Eliminating single-use plastic is a priority, and these bags are carefully designed to help local authorities with food waste recycling and, to reduce plastic contamination in a targeted way. We welcome measures designed to make recycling simpler and more accessible for consumers, bringing together supply and waste-value chains to achieve a more circular economy.”
Marcus Gover, CEO of WRAP – The Waste and Resources Action Programme, said: “We absolutely need to explore innovative ways of tackling plastic pollution, but there is a balance to ensure initiatives are well thought through and avoid unintended consequences.
“I’m pleased to see this reflected in the Co-op’s approach to its compostable carrier bag initiative by carefully designing an approach that aligns with existing local collection systems. By everyone moving in the right direction, we can transform the plastic system in the UK and keep plastic in the economy and out of the environment.”
