City to ditch single-use plastic bags

A HANDFUL of towns across the country have done it.

But now Ely in Cambridgeshire is hoping to become the first city in the UK to get rid of all single-use plastic bags.

Shoppers are being encouraged to switch to reusable bags made out of recycled fabric. Paper bags will also be on offer in smaller shops and major supermarkets are phasing out disposable plastic bags in favour of sturdier versions. Mean- while, bag-making events are being held at a local sewing shop to help put enough reusable carriers in circulation.

The cathedral city believes it can achieve plastic bag-free status because of its modest size – only 20,000 people live there.

The Daily Mail has long campaigned against plastic pollution, helping slash the number of single-use bags handed out, as well as kick-starting action against other threats including plastic beads and food trays.