England's First Plastic BagFree County

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England's First Plastic Bag-Free County?

• 3 Logos to go here

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• Welcome from Roger Begy
• Leader Rutland County Council

www.rutland.gov.uk/carryabag carryabag_at_rutland.gov
.uk
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Why this makes sense for Retail

• Tim Curtis
• MD Lands End

www.rutland.gov.uk/carryabag carryabag_at_rutland.gov
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Why must retailers take the lead?

• Whose agenda?
• Media
• Government
• Interest Groups
• Consumers

• Which concerns?
• Litter Waste
• Landfill vs Recycling
• Marine Life
• Carbon Footprint

www.rutland.gov.uk/carryabag carryabag_at_rutland.gov
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How are retailers responding?

• Collective commitment
• In Feb 07, 21 leading retailers agreed with
  government to reduce the environmental impact of
  carrier bags by 25 by the end of 08
• 14 reduction achieved by end Feb this year
• Varied solutions
• charging for single use bags
• incentive card point schemes
• promotion of reusable bags
• bags dispensed and bagged by cashier only
• introduction of in-store carrier bag recycling
  facilities
• reduced bag size
• introduction of bags with increased recycled
  content
• increased degradability of bags

www.rutland.gov.uk/carryabag carryabag_at_rutland.gov
.uk
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Whats the real issue?

• Environmental factors
• Manufacture
• Transport
• Longevity
• Disposal

• Single Use Carrier Bags
• Litter
• Danger when degrades
• Volume of waste

• Encouraging reuse makes sense, regardless of the
  solution adopted

• There is no simple, 100 correct solution

www.rutland.gov.uk/carryabag carryabag_at_rutland.gov
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Why this makes sense for Rutland!

• Helen Briggs Rutland County Council CEO

www.rutland.gov.uk/carryabag carryabag_at_rutland.gov
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Right for our Environment
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Right for our Environment
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Right for our Community

• Sustainable Communities Strategy a plan for
  Rutland
• Clear Priorities for the environment and
  sustainabilityTo promote and adopt measures to
  combat the effects of Climate Change through the
  development of environmental policies for Rutland
  To promote principles of sustainable living
  which preserve natural resources and general
  environmental awareness in the community
• Our Business Community
• Contributing to an effective use of everyones
  resources

www.rutland.gov.uk/carryabag carryabag_at_rutland.gov
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Setting the right example as a working pilot in a
unique County

• Rutland is the right size to see if this can work
• Our community is passionate about quality of life
  and that includes the environment
• A business led example
• We are building from a strong base Uppingham,
  Recycle for Rutland
• Rutland is unique in many ways and this is an
  opportunity for us to lead the way

www.rutland.gov.uk/carryabag carryabag_at_rutland.gov
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What are the alternatives?

• Mark Harris HR Director Lands End
• Saya Sheridan - Inspiro Bags

www.rutland.gov.uk/carryabag carryabag_at_rutland.gov
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What Are The Alternatives?

• DURABLE MATERIAL
• Non-Woven
• Nylon
• Polyester

• OTHER
• Recycled Material
• Organic Bio- Plastic
• Bio-Plastic

• NATURAL
• Cotton
• Jute
• Paper

www.rutland.gov.uk/carryabag carryabag_at_rutland.gov
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Cotton

• Environment
• Durability
• Disposal
• Appeal
• Cost

Natural? Organic? Fairtrade?
www.rutland.gov.uk/carryabag carryabag_at_rutland.gov
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Jute

• Environment
• Durability
• Disposal
• Appeal
• Cost

www.rutland.gov.uk/carryabag carryabag_at_rutland.gov
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Non-Woven Polypropylene

• Environment
• Durability
• Disposal
• Appeal
• Cost

www.rutland.gov.uk/carryabag carryabag_at_rutland.gov
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Foldable Versions
www.rutland.gov.uk/carryabag carryabag_at_rutland.gov
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Nylon or Polyester

• Environment
• Durability
• Disposal
• Appeal
• Cost

www.rutland.gov.uk/carryabag carryabag_at_rutland.gov
.uk
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Recycled Materials

• Environment
• Durability
• Disposal
• Appeal
• Cost

Polyester can be made from recycled PET
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Bio-Plastics

• Environment
• Durability
• Disposal
• Appeal
• Cost

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Panel Discussion and Open Forum

• Tim Curtis

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What should we do?

• Work together on a campaign basis
• Level playing field between retailers
• Coherent approach with Council recycling policy
• Consistent message to customers
• Encourage rather than penalise consumers
• Address perceived as well as actual issues

www.rutland.gov.uk/carryabag carryabag_at_rutland.gov
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Options

• Provide/sell reusable bags to give customers a
  choice
• Reduce volume of SUCBs
• Do not offer
• Publicise campaign
• Charge for use?
• Donate to charity each time a customer does not
  take a bag?
• Do not supply SUCBs
• Improve environmental credentials of SUCBs

www.rutland.gov.uk/carryabag carryabag_at_rutland.gov
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Next steps

• Wider involvement
• Objectives policy
• Action plan timescales
• Communication plan materials
• Bag design sourcing

www.rutland.gov.uk/carryabag carryabag_at_rutland.gov
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Removal Of Single Use Carrier Bags?

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