Agenda item

This Council Meeting notes with deep concern and regret recent findings by researchers from the University of Manchester’s Department of Geography that the River Tame has the highest recorded levels of microplastic pollution in the world, recorded at 517,000 particles per m2. The River Tame runs into Stockport Borough meeting its confluence with the Goyt to become the Mersey in the centre of our town.

This Council Meeting further recognises that the same study found that 70% of the microplastics were washed away from the river bed into the sea following flooding with researchers estimating that the 2015/16 floods resulted in around 43 billion microplastic particles from the River Mersey and Irwell catchments being flushed into the Irish Sea.

This Council Meeting therefore welcomes action from the Conservative Government on plastic pollution including:

·           Legislating to ban microbeads so our marine life is better protected, with a ban on the manufacture of products containing microbeads having come into force on 9 January 2018 and a ban on their sale coming into effect in July;

·           Doubling maximum litter fines to £150 to clean up our streets, with Local Authorities able to impose fines within the new range of £65-£150 from next month;

·           Requiring large retailers to charge 5p for all single-use plastic carrier bags. Since introduction nine billion fewer carrier bags have been distributed, a fall of 83%. Money raised from the charge - £95 million so far – has been donated to environmental, educational, and other good causes; and

·           Commitments in the 25 year environment plan, “A Green Future”, to work to a target of eliminating avoidable plastic waste by the end of 2042 and significantly reducing and where possible preventing all kinds of marine plastic pollution – in particular material that came originally from land.

This Council Meeting further welcomes the launch, by Chancellor Philip Hammond, of the Tackling the Plastic Problem consultation and call for evidence which will see the Government look at the whole supply chain from production and retail to consumption and disposal and will consider a broad spectrum of potential ways to address the issue including new biodegradable materials, deposit return schemes, material reuse, enhanced recycling and R&D into new materials.

This Council Meeting therefore:

·           requests that the Cabinet ensures that SMBC take a full part wherever possible in the consultation;

·           calls on the Cabinet to follow the lead of the Conservative Government by removing all consumer single use plastic in its offices as soon as possible and by the end of 2018; and

·           requests that SMBC encourages local businesses and partner organisations to do the same by championing alternatives and the Chief Executive writing to all licensed premises in the Borough drawing this motion to their attention and requesting they also take action on single use plastics, such as drinking straws, cups, bottles, cutlery, and participate in the Government call for evidence.

Moved by:                  Councillor Alanna Vine
Seconded by:           Councillor John Wright

In accordance with the provisions of Council Meeting Procedure Rule 14.7 (Alteration of Motion) at the request of the mover of the motion the Council Meeting gave its consent to the alteration of the motion as tabled to incorporate an alteration which had been published and circulated in advance of the meeting.

MOVED AND SECONDED - This Council Meeting notes with deep concern and regret recent findings by researchers from the University of Manchester’s Department of Geography that the River Tame has the highest recorded levels of microplastic pollution in the world, recorded at 517,000 particles per m2. The River Tame runs into Stockport Borough meeting its confluence with the Goyt to become the Mersey in the centre of our town.

This Council Meeting further recognises that the same study found that 70% of the microplastics were washed away from the river bed into the sea following flooding with researchers estimating that the 2015/16 floods resulted in around 43 billion microplastic particles from the River Mersey and Irwell catchments being flushed into the Irish Sea.

This Council Meeting therefore welcomes action from the Conservative Government on plastic pollution including:

·         Legislating to ban microbeads so our marine life is better protected, with a ban on the manufacture of products containing microbeads having come into force on 9 January 2018 and a ban on their sale coming into effect in July;

·         Doubling maximum litter fines to £150 to clean up our streets, with Local Authorities able to impose fines within the new range of £65-£150 from next month;

·         Requiring large retailers to charge 5p for all single-use plastic carrier bags. Since introduction nine billion fewer carrier bags have been distributed, a fall of 83%. Money raised from the charge - £95 million so far – has been donated to environmental, educational, and other good causes; and

·         Commitments in the 25 year environment plan, “A Green Future”, to work to a target of eliminating avoidable plastic waste by the end of 2042 and significantly reducing and where possible preventing all kinds of marine plastic pollution – in particular material that came originally from land.

In addition, this Council Meeting welcomes the #PlasticFreeGM Campaign which was announced at the GM Green Summit on 21st March, and notes that:

·         Building on the Government’s recent announcement about investigating how it can use the tax system to reduce plastic waste, it was announced that there will be a #Plastic Free GM Campaign to see how GM can be at the forefront of action to eliminate single use plastics.

·         A number of GM’s tourism and hospitality companies have already signed a pledge to eradicate the use of single use plastics by 2020. Within the next 6 months, these businesses will set out a plan to achieve this and, as a first step, will have begun to replace plastic with recyclable straws.

·         As part of this effort, the Mayor will help the campaign to establish a Green City Business Consortium that will bring together Greater Manchester businesses looking to make change from single-use plastics to reusable, recyclable plastics and other alternative materials.

This Council Meeting further welcomes the launch, by Chancellor Philip Hammond, of the Tackling the Plastic Problem consultation and call for evidence which will see the Government look at the whole supply chain from production and retail to consumption and disposal and will consider a broad spectrum of potential ways to address the issue including new biodegradable materials, deposit return schemes, material reuse, enhanced recycling and R&D into new materials.

This Council Meeting therefore:

·         requests that the Cabinet ensures that SMBC take a full part wherever possible in the consultation;

·         calls on the Cabinet to follow the lead of the Conservative Government by removing all consumer single use plastic in its offices as soon as possible and by the end of 2018; and

·         requests that SMBC encourages local businesses and partner organisations to do the same by championing alternatives and the Chief Executive writing to all licensed premises in the Borough drawing this motion to their attention and requesting they also take action on single use plastics, such as drinking straws, cups, bottles, cutlery, and participate in the Government call for evidence.