Free Crawley water fountains plan to cut plastic waste

Crawley councillors have backed plans to reduce plastic waste.
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They also supported the Government’s Resource and Waste Strategy at a council meeting on Wednesday (February 27).

Councillors agreed to implement a motion that ensures Crawley Borough Council will make every effort to reduce plastic waste in the town by:

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* Reviewing single use plastics used by the council and all commissioned services, replacing them with sustainable or re-useable alternatives, eventually eliminating single use plastics altogether

Plastic wastePlastic waste
Plastic waste

*Along with West Sussex Waste Partnership, improving opportunities to recycle materials wherever possible

* Encouraging supermarkets to reduce the use of plastic food wrappings and ask them to consider introducing a ‘plastic-free aisle’

* Working collaboratively with businesses, other public bodies and organisations to reduce the amount of plastic waste produced.

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A spokesman said: “Crawley Borough Council will also continue to explore options to reduce the use of plastic water bottles.

“This includes boosting water refill schemes, improving free access to tap water, ending the sale of plastic bottled water on council-managed premises and installing free water fountains across Crawley.”

In December 2018, the Government launched its Resources and Waste Strategy, which sets out how it will preserve resources by minimising waste and promoting resource efficiency.

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At Full Council, members unanimously agreed to support the strategy.

The council will focus on the waste principles in priority order of: reduce, reuse and recycle.

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The council will also continue to try and increase the proportion of household waste that can be recycled and look at options to improve waste collections, including considering a dedicated food waste collection.

Councillor Geraint Thomas, cabinet member for Environmental Services and Sustainability, said: “I’m very pleased that two motions that will improve the environment have been so positively supported across the political spectrum. By working with central government and surrounding district and borough councils, I’m confident we can make a step change to our town’s sustainability.”