After lockdown ends, what might we do better than before? Eurgain Powell, Local Resident and member of Gwyrddio Penarth Greening, discusses plastic in Penarth for Nub News, looking at how we can build on our insights from the unexpected experiences of the past few months.

Gwyrddio Penarth Greening (GPG) has been working to raise awareness about environmental issues and to make a local contribution on matters of global concern for over ten years. In this latest story in our series, we look at the impact of lockdown on plastic pollution.

Public concern about plastic has grown significantly over the last few years and GPG has been working to find ways of tackling this locally. In 2018, along with local volunteers, we helped establish Plastic Free Penarth, as part of the Plastic Free Communities campaign run nationally by Surfers Against Sewage.

We were delighted with the support we had from local traders with over twelve local businesses signing up - each removed three items of single-use plastic helping us to achieve "Plastic Free community status" in May 2019. Over 560 communities across the UK are now part of this initiative.

Our campaign has been supported by local residents, Penarth Town Council and community groups such as Penarth Scouts, Penarth Youth Action and many local schools. Shops and restaurants that helped Penarth achieve the status include Crepe Escape, Foxy's Deli, Fauvette, Jo's Organics, Umpa Lumpa, Hamptons and many more.

Many of Penarth's local retailers have had to adapt their businesses significantly over the last few months just to be able to survive. Many have started providing a local delivery service including Umpa Lumpa sweets, Windsor fruits, Willmore's and Crepe Escape - many continuing to use plastic-free or compostable materials which is fantastic.

There may be an opportunity for local businesses and restaurants to come together to bulk-buy the plastic-free items that they need so they can continue to offer a delivery service to the local community.

Sales of Foxy's Deli's zero waste products has also increased during the lockdown as people have more time to plan their shopping and shop locally, reusing their glass containers to top up on food.

We've also seen the community coming together to support each other in so many ways, with people offering to swap books, children's toys and other items which again promotes the reuse message.

Although we have seen many positive impacts on our environment over the last few months - our air quality is better, carbon emissions have fallen, people are spending more time out in nature as part of 'daily exercise' - there is now a growing concern that single-use plastic pollution could be getting worse.

As they reopen many coffee outlets are no longer able to accept the reusable cups that many people had started using over the last few months; this is something that Surfers Against Sewage will be looking at nationally.

We have also started to see a growing litter problem in many areas of Penarth as lockdown restrictions begin to ease, although again many local traders are stepping up and taking action to address this.

However, as shops, schools and other workplaces begin to reopen and return to a 'new normal' this does offer an opportunity for them to make changes such as looking at their use of plastics and finding new ways of reducing and removing plastic use.

Plastic Free Penarth will be looking for new ways to engage people in Penarth over coming months, and continue to spread the plastic-free message to keep our town as plastic-free as possible!