'Positive vibes' from shoppers as #returntheplastic group recycle in Chichester

Bognor and Chichester's #returntheplastic group said there was a good feeling from shoppers as their campaign came to Chichester's Sainsbury's this week.
Members of the Bognor and Chichester #returntheplastic groupMembers of the Bognor and Chichester #returntheplastic group
Members of the Bognor and Chichester #returntheplastic group

Members of the Bognor and Chichester #returntheplastic group said they were 'very pleased' that Sainsbury's in Chichester helped with their event to encourage shoppers to re-think shopping habits and to return unwanted plastic to the story.

The group met on Saturday (January 5) and collected a trolley full of waste plastic within two hours.

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City councillor Sarah Sharp (Green) said: "We were told that Sainsbury's accept not only plastic bags but also other plastic packaging back in their store. So shopperes can collect these items which Chichester District Council doesn't recycle and bring these back when they are next shopping and put them in two large black bins in the store. This plastic is then compacted and recycled and doesn't go to landfill."

Victoria Hulatt who is spearheading a new EcoBrick project in the area working with local schools said the morning was successful with "positive vibes" from many shoppers the group talked to.

Co-founder of the group, Liz McCallum said: "There was a really good feeling from shoppers today. Everyone's fed up with the lack of progress in our supermarkets. I am really pleased that we filled two pages of the petition on the plastic bottle return scheme."

Councillor Sarah Sharp brought the issues of single-use plastic to the City Council in a motion last month.

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She said: "I hope that schools, groups and the councils can find out about Terracycle and we, as a city, can start collecting crisp packets, toothbrushes and toothpaste containers etc. There are lots of opportunities out there for groups to reduce our waste still more and also gain money for charities.

"A task and finish group has been set up by Chichester City Council and one of the areas I hope the group will be looking at is how to get involved with Terracycle.co.uk"

Bognor and Chichester #returntheplastic is a new group active locally which plans to do regular events outside different supermarkets the first Saturday of every month. Last month the group campaigned outside Tesco's in Bognor Regis and February will see the group outside M&S in East Street, Chichester. If you would like to find out more about the group or are interested in helping, please see their Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/groups/360460571183566/ or contact Sarah on 07789843556 or Victoria on [email protected] or Liz MacCallum on [email protected]