Members of Evesham Bagbusters launch their campaign in the town.

Evesham's campaign to eradicate single-use plastic bags was launched in March by the town's Bagbusters campaign group.

Hazel Patching, from the group, said: "We are a voluntary, not-for- profit independent group. We have chosen the mission statement to be: To encourage Evesham to become a town in which single-use plastic carrier bags are no longer socially acceptable'."

The Bagbusters have also been lobbying for support from Wychavon District Council and Evesham Town Council, along with trade bodies and groups in the Evesham area such as Vecta and the Market Towns Partnership.

Liz Lynne, West Midlands member of the European Parliament said: "I was thrilled to learn that the growing movement against throw-away plastic bags has been embraced by Evesham.

"These bags add horrendously to landfill sites, use huge amounts of energy and oil in their production and often choke wild animals so any way we can reduce their use is worth the effort.

"Voluntary community initiatives such as Evesham Bagbusters are vital in limiting our impact on the environment. It would be great to see other towns across the region roll out similar schemes."

Peter Luff, MP for Mid-Worcestershire, said: "Good luck to them - let's work to make the town not one that offers free plastic bags, but one that is plastic bag-free."

For more details visit www.eveshambagbusters.org.uk.

MALVERN HILLS

The Malvern Hills district could become a plastic-bag-free zone by the end of the year if district councillor John Raine, a member of the Green party, gets his way.

He says the council should provide "positive public leadership" to persuade shops to cease giving out free bags and for customers to stop accepting them.

"The liberal free supply and the extremely short-lived usage of plastic bags symbolises the carelessness of contemporary society towards our planet's ecosystem and the Earth's future," he said.

Coun Raine has tabled a motion to the council urging it to promote reusable shopping bags and also to look at environmentally friendly alternatives to plastic refuse and recycling bags.

He said: "Most people now accept that plastic bags are an unnecessary problem and agree that we should all be using more durable, re-usable and environmentally friendly ones instead.

"But as long as retailers continue to supply free plastic carriers, too few shoppers are making the switch. Likewise, as long as people go shopping without their own bags and continue to accept the plastic ones freely on offer, most retailers are likely to carry on providing them."

UPTON-ON-SEVERN

Upton-upon-Severn is set to become one of the first places in the country to go plastic bag-free.

Carrier bags and plastic packaging will be a thing of the past by May as shoppers and traders alike are urged to use more environmentally friendly alternatives.

The plastic-free campaign is being led by members of Upton in Bloom, who were impressed by what they saw during a visit to the UK's first "plastic-free" town, Modbury in Devon.

Jackie Surtees, spokesman for Upton in Bloom, said: "We've now talked to local shopkeepers, who seem very, very positive about the idea. It's the sort of thing that could really work in Upton.

"We don't think it will be too hard to get the change achieved and we already know a lot of the public are keen."

Mrs Surtees is confident that Upton will be the first plastic-free town in the county by its self-imposed deadline of May 1.

She said: "It will form a big part of our In Bloom campaign this year. But it is not just about one summer. We intend for it to be a permanent change and it could soon become national policy anyway."

10:30am Wednesday 9th April 2008

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