Supermarkets asked to help make Wealden more sustainable
Wealden District Council’s Sustainability Champion, Cllr Mrs Rowena Moore, has written to all supermarkets in the district asking for their help with the Council’s Greener, Cleaner Brighter initiative.
“The Council works hard to improve recycling within the district, but we must reduce the amount of waste that goes into landfill. And where does this waste come from in the first place? Like most parents I’m only too aware of how much needless packaging we carry home when we shop in a supermarket,” she said.
“We welcome the work that has already been done by some stores in the district to recycle their own waste and make space available in car parks to help the public recycle.
“But there is much more that can be done through using biodegradable or recyclable packaging and reusable carrier bags. Supermarkets can also help by stocking local produce, using renewable energy and improving water conservation,” Cllr Mrs Moore added.
“I am hoping to be able to meet with representatives from the18 supermarkets in Wealden and talk to them about making a difference. I’m sure they could become great ambassadors for a Greener, Cleaner Brighter Wealden.”
Over 10 million tonnes of packaging is thrown away by UK households every year. In Wealden alone households produce 3400 tonnes of plastic packaging which we currently cannot recycle.
“Every week, each person in the United Kingdom uses on average around three plastic bags, said Cllr Mrs Moore. “That may not sound much but when it’s all added up, it is over 150 million bags – every week. It’s a staggering figure, but it does show that if we each made small changes in how we individually reuse and recycle, it could have a big impact.”
