Two of the UK’s largest supermarket chains are imposing bans on plastic cotton buds to reduce waste.
By the end of 2017, Tesco and Sainsbury’s have committed to replace plastic stems of cotton buds into paper in their own products.
This was after a wide-reaching campaign that advocated to stop using plastic stems as they are the largest cause of litter on the country’s beaches.
In a report by The Guardian, the founder of the City to Sea campaign, Natalie Fee, said: “We’re delighted with the announcements to ‘switch the stick’ from plastic to paper stem buds. Whilst they still shouldn’t be flushed, this move will stop millions of plastic stems ending up in the marine environment each year and is a huge win in the fight against marine plastic pollution.”
The campaign has garnered 136, 378 signatories since its fruition. On the campaign page, it details how plastic products, especially the plastic stems of cotton buds, are often eaten by marine life, resulting in dangerous consequences. It has been discovered that plastic can be found inside Loggerhead Turtles, Seabirds and many species of UK-caught fish.
Other major supermarket outlets such as Asda, Boots, and Morrisons are also currently reviewing the move to ban plastics.
To read the original report, click here.
