Gloucestershire Council: Know your plastics June and Plastic free July

• Location: Gloucestershire

• Purpose: The two campaigns were run in consecutive months and designed to reduce waste and improve recycling rates. Due to the districts’ variations on plastics recycling and confusion over which types of plastics could be recycled, the council was paying extra for sorting lower quality materials.

• Description: The know your plastics June campaign focussed on answers to frequently asked questions about recycling such as:

  • Always washing and squashing your recycling;

  • Identifying common items found in kerbside recycling that should be taken to facilities at supermarkets like crisp packets, salad bags, and plastic bags;

  • Clarifying each district’s guidance to minimise confusion.

This was followed up by the plastic free July campaign where residents were encouraged to sign up to the campaign to learn and share ways to reduce the amount of single-use plastic they were using. The campaign goes through key aspects of everyday life where we consume single-use plastic such as the kitchen, bathroom, on-the-go, and in the garden, and suggests affordable alternatives.

• Conservative councillor/ council lead: Cllr Richard Cook, leader of the council and cabinet member for environment

• Further links: Gloucestershire Council’s ‘Know your plastics’ page and ‘Plastic free July page’, Plastic Free July foundation website, and a Stroud News write up.