Bridport has been declared a Plastic Free Community.

Bridport mayor, councillor Ian Bark, shared the news along with town crier John Collingwood in Bucky Doo Square this week.

Cllr Bark said: "When I became mayor of Bridport in May 2019, I set the challenge of Bridport achieving plastic free status during my time in office.

"There were plenty of doubters who said becoming plastic free was impossible and in many ways it is. But that does not mean we should not try and try is what a small group of dedicated and hard-working people have been doing for the past 18 months and I am extremely thrilled to announce they have succeeded."

Bridport has now achieved the status of Plastic Free Community, having met the criteria set by Surfers Against Sewage. But what does this mean?

The focus of this campaign is reducing and where possible eliminating single use plastics. Plastic Free Bridport has been working with community groups and businesses to achieve this.

The result is that there are now numerous community groups and businesses across the town that have removed at least three items of single use plastic from their operation and either replaced them with more environmentally friendly alternatives or no longer use or offer them.

Some examples include replacing polystyrene food trays with biodegradable plant based ones, replacing plastic coffee stirrers and cutlery with wood based alternatives, no longer providing plastic shopping bags, using paper bags instead of plastic when buying vegetables and more.

Certificates were presented to businesses that are already making a difference. These are Bella's, Klin Klan's, Animal House, Groves Nurseries, Naturalife, Waste Not Want Not, Watch House, Hive Beach Café, The Club House, Red Brick Café, Chilli by the Sea, Bridport Lighting, Sladers Yard, Peter Southall, Fruits of the Earth, Bridget's Market, Cilla and Camilla and West Bay Discovery Centre.

The community groups have that achieved this standard include, Asker meadows Nature Reserve Project, Bridport Community Shed, Bridport Rotary Club, Bridport and District Allotment Society, Bridport and District U3A, West Dorset Friends of the Earth, Bridport Community Orchard, Transition Town Bridport, Bridport Millennium Green Trust, Bridport Gardening Club, West Bay Community Forum, Bridport Leisure Centre, Bridport Charter Fair and 5 Things Clear.

Cllr Bark added: "Our thanks to all those businesses and community groups that have already achieved the standard and we look forward to working with bringing many more into the fold.

"By reducing or, even better, eliminating single use plastics we are reducing our dependence on oil and the petrochemical industry and the environmental impact associated with it. We are also reducing the amount of non-recyclable waste that goes to incineration or landfill. And, finally, we are reducing the amount of non-biodegradable environmental pollution in the form of litter that blights our streets, green spaces, rivers, beaches and ends up in our oceans.

"Achieving Plastic Free Community status for Bridport is not the end of the journey. There is still a long way to go and a lot more to do.

"There are more local businesses and community groups already looking at how they can reduce or eliminate their use of single use plastics.

"But it is not just businesses and community groups that have a role to play in reducing or eliminating single use plastics. Each and every one of us can very easily play a part. An individual, or better still a family, making simple changes to their lifestyle will have a small but important impact, but if we all make those changes a huge impact is possible."

These can include:

• Carrying a refillable drink bottle or cup
• Making our own packed lunches and snacks
• Eating food that is in season and grown locally
• Shopping locally
• Buying pet food in cans rather than in plastic pouches

For more information, follow Plastic Free Bridport on Facebook.

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