The team from EUROSPAR Linn Road in Larne focused on a stretch of the A8, the main road into the town, filling 135 bags full of rubbish abandoned by litter louts, while a team from SPAR Kilwaughter, also working on the same road, lifted 45 bags.

In fact, 18 store teams litter picking from Whiteabbey through Mallusk to Ballyclare, out to Larne and from Carrickfergus back along the Loughshore, collected an eye watering 438 bags of rubbish between them.

Some of the more surprising items which were recovered during the NI-wide clean up included two bicycles and a scooter, picked up by the team at SPAR Greystone in Antrim.

The clean-ups, which spanned across sites from Kircubbin to Ballycastle, and Derry to Dungannon, were part of an initiative launched by SPAR NI and Henderson Group, which owns the brand in Northern Ireland and has invested in kits for each store to use to help clean up their neighbourhoods.

‘CHANGE OF BEHAVIOUR’

The kits include large bin bags, pickers, high visibility vests and gloves, as well as in-store signage to encourage shoppers to use the bins provided both inside and outside stores. The signage is dotted throughout stores, but prominently displayed beside high litter generating products such as plastic bottles, to continue to remind shoppers to dispose of their waste appropriately.

In recent months, a total of 175 stores have completed a clean-up in their local neighbourhoods. The stores will continue to use their kits regularly, and will hold events for all to get involved, annually.

Bronagh Luke, Head of Corporate Marketing at Hendersons said: “Unfortunately, littering continues to be a plight within every community in Northern Ireland, and there has been little evidence of behavioural change in those who are the serial offenders.

“Operating over 100 stores and supplying to over 400 more in every city, town and village in Northern Ireland, we are committed to making those neighbourhoods great places to live and are delighted to have the resource and volunteers to implement this initiative.

‘We all have a responsibility help address the issues around litter’

“Littering simply should not be as big a problem as it is. We are very proud of the communities within which our stores operate, and we hope this initiative will encourage a change of behaviour when it comes to disposing of waste, particularly from purchases made at our stores.”

Barista Bar, the retail coffee brand which is available in over 400 SPAR, EUROSPAR and ViVO branded stores in Northern Ireland has committed to numerous litter picks throughout Northern Ireland, in efforts to reduce the number of single use cups that are not disposed of correctly.

‘SUSTAINABLE BRAND’

In 2019, the brand launched their own reusable cups and has reached sales of 20,000 drinks per month with shoppers using the Barista Bar reusable cup – an increase of 12% from 2022, to date. There are now almost 100,000 cups in use across Northern Ireland, with 113,000 users registered with Barista Bar’s loyalty scheme, incentivising shoppers to live more sustainably with various rewards available.

Keavy O’Mahony-Truesdale, Brand Manager at Barista Bar added: “We all have a responsibility help address the issues around litter and we have dedicated a huge amount of time and investment in encouraging our shoppers to invest in a reusable cup to try and make a positive social impact in the communities in which we operate.

“We are committed to being a sustainable brand and are pleased with the uptake in our reusable cups, however there is still a huge amount of work to be done to change the habits of those who litter on a regular basis. Barista Bar sponsors Walk NI and their associated campaigns, such as Leave No Trace and the Right Side of Outside, to help educate, promote and support Keep Northern Ireland Beautiful.

“Our next litter pick with Walk NI takes place on Friday 21^st July and will be planning more alongside our on-going partnership with the Eco Rangers in Larne. This is a long-term plan for Barista Bar and we hope consumers choose the more sustainable way to enjoy their coffee, and change behaviours to tackle the litter problem in Northern Ireland.”

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During the start of the global campaign Plastic Free July, the Minister said people in Northern Ireland could do their bit by taking part in his latest consultation on carrier bags.

“Plastic Free July encourages people to refuse single-use plastics so we can tackle plastic pollution in our streets, seas and countryside. I would urge everyone in Northern Ireland to join me in the fight against plastic pollution by responding to our consultation on the carrier bag levy,” explained Minister Poots.

“We are now half way into the consultation period with some 400 responses already showing just how important the environment and this issue is to people. Working together we can help meet the New Decade, New Approach commitment on eliminating plastic pollution. It also underpins the Green Growth framework which I am currently developing.

“My Department continues to work hard on the issue of the circular economy and to tackle the throwaway culture. With over five trillion single use plastic bags used worldwide every year and plastic waste set to quadruple by 2050 we are encouraging everyone in Northern Ireland to act locally but think globally,” he added.

Minister Poots said: “Whilst the existing Carrier Bag Levy has been successful in already removing in excess of 1.5 billion bags from circulation here, I am aware heavy duty bags are now flooding the market and are not being reused with harmful environmental consequences.

“We can and must do more. So I would encourage stakeholders, industry and the general public who have not already participated to take part and have their say on our consultation which will run until 27 July 2021,” he concluded.

Ian Humphreys Chief Executive of Keep Northern Ireland Beautiful said: “Keep Northern Ireland Beautiful welcomes this consultation to future proof existing carrier bag legislation. We would encourage people to respond to the consultation to ensure their views are heard.

“As an environmental charity funded by the Department, the existing carrier bag levy has supported the vital work we carry out in order to make Northern Ireland a cleaner and more pleasant place in which to live, including efforts to reduce the production and littering of single-use plastics,” he added.

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Edwin Poots MLA has launched a Call for Evidence on a plan to eliminate plastic pollution in Northern Ireland and a new grants scheme aimed at tackling marine litter.

The Call for Evidence will seek responses from a wide range of stakeholders on the challenges and opportunities that exist in eliminating plastic pollution, as well as seeking examples of best practice and sources of expertise or evidence.

In addition to this, a new grants scheme has been set up making £175,000 available in 2021/22 for organisations and groups to avail of. The aim of the scheme is to help prevent marine litter entering our environment as well as removing this litter from coastal and riverine areas. This will help protect our waterways and marine areas, as well as improving marine biodiversity and the health and wellbeing of our communities.

It is hoped the scheme will run for a further three years with up to £675,000 available by 2025. The scheme is funded by DAERA and will be administered by Live Here Love Here.

Plastic pollution – a scourge

Minister Poots said: “Plastic pollution is a scourge on our environment and has become one of our most pressing environmental challenges. I believe we need to take strong action and address the throwaway culture that exists around plastic and the pollution that comes from this.”

The Minister continued, “The New Decade, New Approach agreement contains a commitment by the Executive to develop a plan to eliminate plastic pollution and this Call for Evidence and subsequent development of my Department’s plan will deliver on this commitment. This will assist Northern Ireland’s contribution to the UK’s net zero target and will help the shift to a circular economy by keeping plastic in the economy and out of the environment.”

Minister Poots concluded, “I am also pleased to announce today the launch of a new £175,000 grants scheme to tackle marine litter. This scheme will help to facilitate the prevention and removal of this type of litter which is entering our environment, polluting our rivers and seas. By working together we can tackle the scourge of plastic pollution, thereby making Northern Ireland a cleaner, greener environment to live in.”

Pernicious effects of litter

Ian Humphreys, CEO of Keep Northern Ireland Beautiful added: “The pernicious effects of litter, particularly plastics, on marine animals is now well understood. With plastics moving up through the marine food chain the consequences for us may end up equally harmful. So this timely grants programme, funded by DAERA and delivered through the Live Here Love Here collaboration, will ensure Northern Ireland can play its part in eliminating marine litter pollution. I would encourage all eligible organisations to make use of this fantastic opportunity to help people do the right thing and put litter in a bin.”

The public Call for Evidence opens on 28th June 2021 and will run for a 14 week period until 5pm on 1st October 2021

The Tackling Marine Litter Grants Scheme opens for applications on 30th June 2021. Visit the Keep Northern Ireland Beautiful website.

The post DAERA all for evidence – how to eliminate plastic pollution in Northern Ireland? first appeared on Neighbourhood Retailer.