STS projects
Plastics recycling initiative
Background
Julie and Sue met with the manager at the Berry factory in Plenmeller to discuss the possibility of a local recycling project.
The company are keen to work with us because future taxes will incentivise increased use of post-consumer plastic recycling and involvement in the project will benefit the company's image. The manager offered to take any Number 2 plastic we can collect locally and deliver to the factory. The requirements are:

• Sorted - no. 2 only
• Clean - to standard required by Council recycling, rinsed but no need to remove labels
• Squashed - by hand or feet! Practical requirement simply to reduce volume

In return we will receive goods made from recycled plastic - benches, planters etc were mentioned - for community use/benefit.
Berry global will be able to help with signage for the scheme and large tote bags to transport plastic.

How to do it?
It is important that volunteer effort and use of vehicles to collect and deliver is proportionate to the benefits
- environmentally and locally - of the scheme.

Education is needed. If we simply put collection containers in, for example, supermarket car parks in the town and invited people to put plastic in we fear we would get too much dirty and 'wrong sort' of plastic. It would also be difficult to gauge required frequency of emptying.

We came up with the idea of asking people to register with our scheme and then giving them plastic boxes or bags (made from recycled plastic!) to collect up No. 2 plastic at home and then we could do monthly (?) collections. There are concerns that people would not easily be able to store a month's worth of plastic bottles, but would we want to collect and quality control more often? Drop off points? Could we ask Berry employees to take our collections to the factory when going to work? Rewards? - like loyalty card/stickers - for each full box/bag collected.

We concluded that we need to do some kind of pilot to get an idea of volumes and interest.

Suggested Pilot - Feb 2021?
For four weeks on successive Saturdays we have a stall in Market square (or Sainsbury's car park, or outside Methodist Hall if coffee mornings have restarted) with educational material and boxes/bags to give to people who want to join scheme and we ask them to return with what they've collected the following week. Social media will be important in generating interest and enthusiasm for the project. By the end of this pilot we have to have a plan for collection/drop-off points and quality control going forward. Presentations/education sessions with groups can follow once we have a long term plan for the scheme - difficult to do this effectively until we have some idea of the scale.

Given Covid restrictions and the need to launch a coherent project we are planning on the pilot taking place in Feb 2021. In the meantime we will hold further discussions with Berry, prepare educational and promotional material, and social media contacts. Do get in touch if you have any suggestions as to how we might design and manage the project, are able to help with preparations for the launch, or can volunteer once we get going.


Please start saving No.2 plastic (HDPE, high density polyethylene) now! Look for the triangle symbol present on all plastic containers and lids. No.2 plastic is generally opaque or coloured and used for milk, cosmetics, detergents and household cleaner containers. I can help with storage and/or provide used large tote bags until the project launch...


Refill champions needed!
Last year, along with Sustainable Brampton and Sustainable Carlisle we launched Refill Hadrian's Wall and together recruited dozens of cafes and other business to the campaign to provide free tap water refills for people's water bottles. Covid-19 has caused a hiccup in proceedings but it is perfectly simple to provide the service safely and in compliance with current restrictions. From October 1st a refreshed Refill app and an extended campaign will be launched.
The new app will include places to eat, drink and shop with minimal plastic.
From a coffee on your commute, to drinking water on the go, or even shopping with less packaging, Refill puts the power to reduce plastic at your fingertips. The vision is for a world where everyone has the power to choose to reuse and refill wherever they shop, eat or drink.
Please get in touch if you are able to help with the campaign in our area.