The Return the Plastic Frome group

The Return the Plastic Frome group were out in force last week at Sainbury’s kicking off the Christmas season by singing carols that we all know and love – but with different words.

The group says, “‘Plastic here, Plastic there, Plastic everywhere’ was sung to the tune of Jingle Bells, and ‘Away in a landfill, Away in the sea, Away in the hedgerows, All the plastic debris’ to a tune all our readers will recognise.  We want Sainsbury’s to put pressure on their suppliers and especially their own brand packaging contractors to come up with alternatives to wrapping everything in plastic. Perishables like strawberries or cucumbers that are unlikely to be frozen could be wrapped in plastic-like substitutes made from corn starch for example. 

“The singing was also to remind shoppers of the amount of plastic they could be buying over the Christmas period and to think again before you buy, about how it might be disposed of.  Another demand is for Sainsbury’s to provide a large bin (or even two) for people to return their plastic packaging, so it becomes a habit that is easy to get into when you go shopping. 

“At the moment if you want to recycle plastic other than bottles, you have to go to the recycling centre on Marston estate. 

“The campaign is supported by a number of Green Party and Lib Dem district councillors who are pressing Mendip District Council for these plastics to be collected on the doorsteps. It’s also supported by many of the Frome Town councillors.”