Medway Cllr Andy Stamp is pushing a move for Medway Council into becoming a ‘single use plastic free’ authority.

The proposed changed, which will be discussed tonight, would see the phasing out of ‘unnecessary’ single use plastic products like bottles, cups, cutlery and drinking straws in all Council buildings at Council events by June of this year.

A catalyst for this move is the Government’s successful plastic bag levy in 2015, which saw an 85% reduction in plastic bag use after a 5p charge was added.

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An estimated nine million tonnes of plastic enter our seas and oceans each year, damaging sea life and the environments - a huge proportion of this is single use plastic (SUP).

It is hoped that, if successful, this motion will encourage local businesses, stakeholders and agencies to follow suit.

This comes less than a week after more than 200 cross-party MPs called on major supermarkets to abolish plastic packaging entirely.

Last week, Prime Minister Theresa May said supermarkets should set up plastic-free aisles, and vowed to eliminate unnecessary plastic waste by 2042.

Cllr Stamp, Labour Spokesman for Regeneration, Culture and Transport, said: “Other Councils have passed similar motions and decided six months is a practical timescale, so we think this is achievable for Medway.

“This is about Medway Council leading by example and changing its purchasing decisions to phase out single use plastics.”

The move comes as Faversham has announced a Say No to Throwaway Plastic week.