Rotherham Council to ban ‘unnecessary’ single use plastics as it hires three climate change staff members

RMBC say that it recognises that single use plastics are a ‘threat to our natural environment’ and reducing such plastics are a ‘key factor in reducing the council’s impact on the environment’.

The council says some single use plastics ‘may need to remain within certain services as suitable, economically viable replacements may not exist,’ such as where PPE is used in caring for those in need.

It has pledged to work towards ending the provision of unnecessary single use plastics across council buildings and events, and using recycled or re-usable plastics where complete removal of plastic is currently ‘unfeasible’.

The government estimates that 2.7 billion items of single-use cutlery and 721 million single-use plates are used in England per year, but only 10 per cent are recycled.

RMBC has produced a climate change action plan, which was examined by the authority’s overview and scrutiny committee today (March 15).

It states that following an audit of all 68 of the councils’ buildings, plastic cups have been replaced with paper.

The audit will be extended to include all council services, and schools will also be encouraged to reduce single use plastics.

The report adds that between 2019 and 2022, carbon emissions from council operations fell by 26 per cent, largely due to a reduction in electricity consumption from council owned buildings and streetlighting.

However, the biggest reduction in emissions came from staff commuting as more staff have moved to hybrid working arrangements.

During the meeting, councillor Joshua Bacon question the council’s decision to hire three extra staff members – a climate change manager,principal climate change officer and a climate change officer.

The new team will deliver carbon literacy training to staff.

Coun Bacon asked: “Did we really need to hire three extra employees for training on single use plastics?

“Wouldn’t it have been better to display digital posters? Surely everybody’s aware of the impact of single use plastics?”

Councillor Denise Lelliott said that not everybody knew about the issue, adding: “It’s absolutely impossible to think that everybody does know about the impact of single use plastics.

“To offer that education and training for people to support it can only be a good thing.”