“LET’S TACKLE PLASTIC WASTE TOGETHER”, says Robert Eggleston, Lib Dem PPC for Mid Sussex

Robert Eggleston, Lib Dem parliamentary candidate for Mid Sussex has spearheaded a policy through the national party calling from comprehensive action to tackle plastic waste.

From calling for individual and community action through to national legislation and international treaties, Robert, says that the "Liberal Democrats have the greenest policies for dealing with the environmental effects from the disposal of plastics.

Robert and the Liberal Democrats are calling for action and legislation to be introduced:

1. banning non-recyclable single-use plastics with affordable alternatives; with a target for their complete elimination within a 3-year period;
2. banning the use of plastic microbeads and glitter in all products with immediate effect;
3. requiring all retailers and other organisations to reduce, with immediate effect, the amount of plastic and non-recyclable packaging they use, with a 3-year target to make all such packaging either unnecessary, re-usable or recyclable;
4. introducing targets for large public organisations, such as the NHS, to reduce their use of plastic and find alternatives;
5. creating a deposit system on all food and drink bottles and containers whether they are made from glass, plastic or other materials;
6. requiring all retailers and businesses that produce plastics or use them for their products to pay a levy to contribute toward the cost of necessary recycling services;
7. working in partnership with local authorities to:
   1. produce an action plan to deliver the target leading to the elimination of single use plastic within 3 years in their local authority area;
   2. prepare audit trails to demonstrate that plastics are recycled where they cannot be re-used;
   3. support the formation of local community action groups to assist in delivering the statutory target
   4. resolve any issues relating to the funding and legislative powers required to deliver this the required outcomes
   5. creating an international task force to work in developing countries on initiatives supporting the elimination of single use plastic in those countries.

In addition Liberal Democrats want to:

1. place a duty on all governmental organisations to promote the need to reduce packaging of any sort, particularly plastic products, and to replace plastic packaging where possible with compostable materials that are safe to be used for vegetable growing;
2. introduce a legal requirement to label all packaging with recyclability information;
3. require a public information and education campaign to be delivered through all governmental agencies, organisations receiving public funding and public bodies including schools, colleges and universities;
4. provide that, where the use of plastic remains unavoidable, there should be a requirement on all retailers only to use any plastics or other materials that can be recycled through existing or new recycling services or that can be re-used.

If you want to support Robert's campaign email him at ppc@midsussexlibdems.org.uk