Are you ready to go single-use plastic free this July?

We’re backing the movement to go single-use plastic free and encouraging residents to be part of the solution to plastic pollution.

Last year, households in Somerset recycled close to 6,300 tonnes of plastic using their kerbside collection. That’s about 30 lorry loads each month carrying about 18 tonnes each time.

While plastic recycling is great, choosing to refuse single-use plastic is even better. Could you take up the challenge to make a change each day in July? Your changes could make a huge difference and hopefully become a good habit for life.

Simple changes we can all make to go plastic free include:

• Opt for the plastic free, or no packaging alternatives. Loose fruit and vegetables are available in many supermarkets or pick items wrapped in paper rather than plastic. 
• Use a reusable water bottle. Somerset has five, free-to-use tap water stations – find your local one via Wessex Water’s Community refill points webpage.
• Switch from bottle to bar for your bathroom products. Somerset has many re-fill shops – why not support local businesses while picking up your plastic-free alternatives?
• When plastic cannot be avoided, much of it can be recycled in the weekly kerbside collections throughout Somerset – use the Bright Blue Bag for plastic bottles, pots, tubs and trays.
• Flexible plastics – for example bread bags, can be recycled at many supermarkets and local shops such as Co-op. Use Recycle Now's online look-up facility.

Remember, just a couple of switches can help towards a more sustainable future.

A calendar of ideas is available at plasticfreejuly.org.