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To: Brighton & Hove City Council

Reduce single-use plastic waste in Brighton & Hove

Generate a report to be brought to Policy, Resources and Growth Committee on the options for bringing an end to the use of unnecessary Single Use Plastics (SUP) in Brighton and Hove.

Why is this important?

Brighton & Hove is a coastal city, meaning it must be on the frontline when it comes to tackling plastic pollution in our oceans. As 80% of marine litter originates from land, Brighton & Hove must do everything possible to stop this pollution at source.

In 2016, the Ellen MacArthur Foundation estimated that by weight, there could be more plastic in our oceans than fish, as soon as 2050.
Plastics are durable, strong and long-lasting – all positive elements until you realise that they will stay in our environment for up to an estimated 600 years. (Columbia University)

Over 300 million tons of new plastic are made every year – half of which is for single use plastic, such as packaging and convenience foods. In many cases, such as plastic straws, takeaway food containers and coffee cups, there are practical alternatives available that are either reusable or sustainable.

It is estimated that there are over 5.5 trillion pieces of plastic currently in our global ocean and over 8 million tons of plastic are dumped into our seas each year. This equates to one refuse truck FULL of plastic every minute.

Marine plastic leads to coastal / offshore dead zones, entanglement, death through ingestion, toxic transfer and, once degraded into microplastics, contamination of the food chain – including our own. We are quite literally eating the plastic that has ended up in our seas.

Sign this petition so we can persuade the council to act on the issue of single-use plastic waste.

How it will be delivered

The petition will be delivered to Brighton & Hove City Council at the Full Council meeting on the 2nd November in support of the motion; Unnecessary Single-use Plastics. The motion is being proposed by Cllr Phelim Mac Cafferty (Convener of the Green Group) and seconded by Cllr Leo Littman (Green Party).

Brighton & Hove

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Updates

2018-01-09 05:51:51 +0000

500 signatures reached

2017-09-26 17:48:42 +0100

100 signatures reached

2017-09-24 07:10:07 +0100

50 signatures reached

2017-09-22 21:12:22 +0100

25 signatures reached

2017-09-22 18:19:45 +0100

10 signatures reached