The average person uses over 300 plastic carrier bags per year - WHY BE AVERAGE?

Nearly every plastic bag that has ever been used, since plastic was invented, still exists somewhere, probably in a landfill site.  

Plastic bags that are not disposed of properly can be dangerous to animals, for example plastic bags which end up in the sea can be mistaken for food which can kill the animal if eaten.  When the animal dies and decomposes the plastic bag will be released back into the environment where it can continue to be harmful.

There are a number of ways in which you can reduce the amount of plastic carriers bags YOU use.

Buy a York Bag

A practical way to reduce the amount of plastic carrier bags is to purchase a stylish York Bag, made from a natural fibre called Jute.

A normal weeks shopping will fit into 3 of these bags, each bag has a removable inset that allows you to carry 6 bottles.  The bags are in a natural colour and have the Recycle for York logo on the front.

As they are made from a natural fibre, once the bags are no longer needed or useable you can put them on your home compost heap and they will compost down - unlike plastic carrier bags.

Each bag cost's £2, which is to cover the cost of the project and makes it sustainable.

We have a number of outlets that sell the bags these are:

• 9 St Leonards Place, Council Reception
• Cardland, Allerton Drive, Poppleton
• Rufforth Post Officer, Wetherby Road, Rufforth
• York Environment Centre, Rawdon Avenue, York
• Poppleton Post Office, The Green, Poppleton
• Brunswick Organic Nursery, Appleton Road, Bishopthorpe
• Ashby's Delicatessen, Tadcaster Road

If you are interested in being an outlet for these bags please contact us.

What are Retailers doing?

Retailers are starting to recognise that there are problems with single use plastic carrier bags, below is some information about what retailers in York are doing to cut down on plastic carrier bags:

• Marks and Spencer, sell their own reusable bags and charge 5p per plastic carrier bag
• Homebase, offer paper bags as an alternative to plastic carrier bags
• Tesco, sell their own reusable bags and offer clubcard points when customers reuse bags
• Sainsbury's, sell their own reusable bags and offer nectar points when customers reuse bags
• Asda and Morrisons sell their own reusable bags

Go Plastic Bag Free!

As a council we are committed to reducig the number of plastic carrier bags used in York and make York Plastic Bag Free.  To help us achieve this aim we are working with local community groups.

We are working with some villages in York to become Plastic Bag Free.  The first village to take up the challenge is Copmanthorpe.  Alcuin College at York University and Fulford Parish Council are now taking steps to go plastic bag free too.  Our aim is to have all villages in York Plastic Bag Free and then move towards the City Centre in the long term.

We are always on the look out for groups within villages that would like to partner with us to make their village Plastic Bag Free, if you would like to get involved in this please contact us.

Copmanthorpe Plastic Bag Free Campaign

Copmanthorpe Gribg Your Bag Groupare leading the way in their village to get everyone reusing bags. 

To get the campaign started a bag was designed that was unique to Copmanthorpe.  A competition was held for all local children to design a bag.  There were 3 winners.  Thomas Duckett designed the picture and Laura Barritt and Harry Wilkinson provided the wording for the bags.

The Copmanthorpe Bag has now been launched and each household in Copmanthorpe has been given a bag.  Shops in Copmanthorpe are now being asked to sell the bag tooto help make the campaign sustainable and help it to grow.

For more information about the campaign you can visit the Copmanthorpe Bring Your Bag campaign website

How to Get Your Village Involved

We are on the look out for more villages that would like to become Plastic Bag Free, we will provide all the help and support you need - it only needs a couple of people to get together to start a campaign in your area.

Please contact us if you would like to get involved or would like more information about the campaign.

Reducing Your Waste

Using reusable carrier bags is one small way in which you can reduce the amount of waste that you produce.  For more ideas on what you can do go to Reducing the amount of waste you produce