The council must first lead by example
The UK government have made a start on reducing the prevalence of SUPs in our environment following the introduction of the 5p bag charge. Within the first year following the introduction of the charge the use of SUPs bags fell by 85%.
Other countries have gone further with the introduction of Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR), helping to develop new technologies and creating jobs in the recycling market. Some countries have effectively banned certain plastics and reduced the types of plastic packaging to a small number of plastics enabling easier collection, sorting and recycling of those used.
Deposit Return Schemes (DRS) have also proven effective in reducing litter and increasing reuse of plastic products. DRS leave a charge on plastic products as a deposit which is returned to the customer when the packaging is brought back to the store for re-use.