The Environment Agency’s Plastics and Sustainability team showcased the Preventing Plastic Pollution Project at the Big Sustainability Expo in Southampton on 22 September 2022. The event brought together large organisations, small and medium-sized enterprises, business networks, non-profit, charity and public sector to share knowledge and resources to reduce environmental impact.
The team engaged over 50 exhibitors and attendees, helping them to identify how they can reduce their avoidable plastic use and signposting them towards resources to support this, including:
- A practical guide to reduce your business waste and save you money
- Supply chain webinar
- How to start an internal plastics champions’ network
- The 5 Rs to #PreventingPlasticPollution
- Case study: Alternatives to plastic food packaging
They displayed a waste reduction kit with examples of alternatives to reduce avoidable plastic and litter picking kits that businesses could use for litter picks.
Several organisations the team engaged also signed up to a plastic reduction commitment
Many businesses commented that they gained useful and practical ideas on how to engage their staff and suppliers in reducing avoidable plastics and preventing plastic pollution.