Colchester Borough Council has committed to phasing out single-use plastics and is launching its own campaign, Colchester Plastic Pledge, to encourage residents and local organisations to follow the example and make their own online pledge to reduce their use of single-use plastics.

Colchester Borough Council has committed to phasing out single-use plastics and is launching its own campaign, Colchester Plastic Pledge, to actively encourage residents and other local organisations to follow their example and make their own online pledge to reduce their use of single-use plastics.

Around the globe every minute, a million plastic bottles, a million disposable cups and two million plastic bags are bought and, if attitudes and behaviours don’t change, it’s estimated that annual plastic production in 2050 will have increased by 500%.

The BBC’s Blue Planet 2 highlighted the damage that plastics are doing to wildlife and the oceans.

The Colchester Plastic Pledge campaign is part of the council’s drive to help the environment by reducing waste and, in particular, plastic waste. It also supports the Council’s Better Colchester campaign which aims to make Colchester a better place to live, work and visit.

Making a pledge is quick and easy – just visit www.colchester.gov.uk/colplasticpledge and choose a pledge or create your own.