Plastic Bag Campaign Gathers Momentum

2.17.00pm BST (GMT +0100) Tue 8th Apr 2008

Tim Murphy (Chairman of Epsom & Ewell Lib Dems), Cllr Dave Morgan and Cllr Christine Key (L-R) handing out leaflets in Epsom market place

Epsom & Ewell Liberal Democrats' campaign to make Epsom and Ewell a plastic bag free borough gathered momentum on Sunday 6th April. Despite appalling weather conditions, nearly 1000 leaflets were handed out to shoppers in Epsom Market Place while the Farmers' Market was in full swing.

Cllr Dave Morgan (Court) said " Both Sainsbury and Wilkinsons are now selling canvas bags which fold up and popper together so they are quite small when not in use and most large stores are selling "bags for life". We were pleased to see how many people are already using their own bags but one shopper told me how plastic bags were an essential part of everyday life, so there's still a long way to go to get the message across!"

Cllr Morgan recently put a motion to the borough council which required them to give the subject higher priority. He pointed out that every plastic bag can last between 400 and 1000 years and that plastic kills at least 100,000 marine mammals every year.

There are plenty of leaflets left and others areas of the borough will be targeted in the coming months.