Plastic is destroying our oceans, yet big corporations are still being given money to produce cheap plastic. It’s time for polluters to pay for the damage they cause, which can be done by community awareness and empowerment and taxing companies.

Schools go plastic free

Several Swansea schools have joined the plastic free initiative co-organised with Surfers Against Sewage. If you are a teacher at a local school and want to join, please get in touch with me.

Plastics Bill

I am working with local and national academics, businesses and NGOs to find out how we can cut down on plastic consumption and cut out single-use plastics. Earlier this year, I set out my proposals in a Plastics Bill. The Bill would require the government to:

• set and enforce targets to reduce the amount of plastic produced and increase the amount of plastic that gets recycled;
• consider how a plastics tax and other fiscal measures could help reduce plastic production and increase recycling;
• promote and facilitate research into sustainable alternatives to plastic, and
• establish a Plastics Agency to hold the government to account.

Last year, I called on the Chancellor to use the Budget to bring forward a plastics tax. This year I have written again to the Chancellor with suggestions for how to design a plastics fiscal strategy.

Cut out single-use plastics

For Lent, I led a campaign in Swansea to give up single-use and black plastics, but join the #plasticfree campaign at any time.

Working with: