SOUTH Ayrshire Council says it wants to ban single use plastics in its area within four years – with plastic straws first on their hit list.
They will also look at a pledge to but sustainable items instead as part of their moves to go green.
The moves will be championed ahead of Earth Day later this month.
The council acknowledge in a statement that every year tonnes of waste is washed up on South Ayrshire’s Coastline that could be easily avoided.
Among the areas affected are the popular shores of Ayr, Troon and Prestwick among others,
The Council says it is now signing up to the Final Straw campaign and has pledged to end the use of single use plastic items, starting with plastic straws which will no longer be bought with immediate effect.
The Council currently buys around 35,000 plastic straws a year.
In the next four years further work will take place to remove the use of items including: plastic bottles, coffee cups and lids, plastic cutlery, plastic bags, bathroom plastics including cotton buds, condiment sachets, and balloons.
The message will form the core of their work around Earth Hour 2018 on Saturday, 24 March, with partners across South Ayrshire being encouraged to consider adopting the same approach.
Councillor Ian Cochranesaid: “We’re committed to protecting our environment and this pledge to eliminate single use plastic items is a great way to reduce unnecessary waste, much of which ends up dumped in landfills.
“We’re starting the process by moving to paper straws and in the next four years we’ll be looking to source items which cut down waste and ultimately encouraging a culture shift in people’s use of everyday items.
“Through this year’s Earth Hour we’ll also be promoting our approach and asking partners com to consider whether they too could do more for the environment and sign-up to the Final Straw campaign and say no to single use plastics.”
WANT TO KNOW MORE? Read: South Ayrshire Council Plastic Straw Commitment and Single Use Plastics Pledge
IMAGE CREDITS: cc GordonMontgomerie