2 Bembridge businesses have been awarded plaques and certificates because of their efforts to reduce use of single use plastic.
Plastic Free Communities is a Surfers Against Sewage Project, designed to raise awareness and help tackle plastic pollution. Businesses can receive Bronze, Silver and Gold awards.
The Sea room have achieved all 3 awards. They have worked from removing 3 pieces of single use plastic to removing all possible single-use plastic and taken part in community work and national action to help reduce our plastic waste. They are estimated to have prevented at least 35,000 plastic bottles from entering the environment so far. The Sea room is a refill shop for many different household products including toiletries and cleaning liquids.
Bembridge Barbers – owned by Gail Cooper – has received a bronze award and has fulfilled the criteria for a silver award by removing significant and commonly used plastic items from her business. She has also supported beach cleaning to remove plastic and other waste from our beach and sea. She is on the path to achieving gold status.
Plastic Free Bembridge is a community initiative started in 2024 with the support of Surfers Against Sewage. It is also supported by Bembridge Parish Council.
The organization works with businesses, community groups and individuals to help reduce plastic pollution. Bembridge has achieved 89% of the outcomes to be accredited with Plastic Free status and is on track to be the first Isle of Wight community to achieve this.
Another business – David Hunt Tai Chi – is to receive it’s bronze award in the next couple of weeks.
Plastic Free Bembridge are planning an exhibition in Bembridge Library to highlight the issues around plastic pollution and what we can do about it. If anyone would like to know more or become involved, contact Lindsey Newberry or Ally de Trey (community leads) by emailing [email protected].
What a farce plastic free is.