September 19, 2019 1.38 pm This story is over 54 months old

Call for Lincoln council to ban single-use plastics

The council earlier this year declared a climate emergency

A motion before Lincoln councillors next week will call on them to ban single-use plastic from the authority.

Labour councillor Lucinda Preston will ask members of the full council to commit to eliminating “wherever possible” all single-use plastics within its managed buildings and facilities and from the Christmas Market by 2020, and within the supply chain by 2022.

Her motion states: “We need to move away from a linear plastic economy, where we take, make and dispose of plastic to a circular system where we capture the value of plastic materials – keeping plastic in the economy and out of the ocean.”

It will also ask the Labour-led council to support campaign group Plastic Free Lincoln – including signing a “Plastic Free Pledge” and appointing a representative to sit on the group.

Earlier this year, City of Lincoln Council declared a climate emergency and committing to be carbon neutral by 2030.

Labour councillor Lucinda Preston. Photo: Steve Smailes for The Lincolnite

Councillor Preston said: “We have an exciting action plan in place which includes the reduction of single-use plastic in our buildings and encouragement for individuals and local businesses to go plastic free.”

If approved, the council will also agree to install a free drinking water fountain in Lincoln Central Market and encourage retailers and other premises to provide water bottle refill facilities.

Finally, the motion asks councillors to create an information section on the authority’s website.

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