Scheme To Rid City of Plastic Carrier Bags To Be Launched On Friday

ELY S A Bag for all Reasons campaign is to be launched on Friday. 5000 cloth bags will be given away free to Ely shoppers, from 10am on the Market Place and in some of the city s shops where plastic carrier bags will be placed under the counter. Waitro

ELY'S 'A Bag for all Reasons' campaign is to be launched on Friday.

5000 cloth bags will be given away free to Ely shoppers, from 10am on the Market Place and in some of the city's shops where plastic carrier bags will be placed under the counter.

Waitrose and Tesco, both of which are represented on the group, will be taking part and have agreed to give away their 'bags for life' to customers. The major supermarkets are charged by Government to significantly reduce the number of plastic carrier bags issued

The Ely initiative, brought together by City of Ely Perspective's Making Ely Greener group, will be launched by Ely mayor Sheila Friend-Smith, and aims to cut plastic carrier bag use in and around the city.

The group has raised sponsorship to enable the bags to be produced encouraging multiple use as figures show that average use of a carrier bag is for just 12 minutes, and when consigned to landfill they do not biodegrade. The carbon footprint of plastic carrier bags used in this country is equivalent to 50,000 cars.

Philip Eden, chairman of the Making Ely Greener group said: "Evidence from traders is that many people in and around Ely are already signed up to not using plastic carrier bags. Our campaign aims to take this a step further and increase awareness of the problems these bags cause."

He added "It is a culture thing. Once you get used to carrying your cloth bag around, or not taking that plastic carrier bag for just a couple of items, it becomes the norm, and, hey presto, consumption levels reduce. It's so simple to do something about, and it saves retailers money at a time when they are all feeling the pinch