UK’s ‘big three’ supermarkets ban the use of plastic for cotton buds

Asda has become the latest retailer to announce it is banning the use of plastics for the production of its own-brand cotton buds from 2017 in an attempt to cut ocean waste.

The retailer joins both Tesco and Sainsbury’s in switching from the use of plastic to paper stems, following a campaign by City to Sea, a Bristol-based CIC (community interest company).

City to Sea says it is running the ‘switch the stick’ campaign to “do something about one of the UK’s main offenders” when it comes to plastic pollution on the nation’s beaches.

The company’s founder, Natalie Fee, told the Guardian she was “delighted” with the announcements from the UK’s ‘big three’ retailers in pledging to make the switch.

However, Emma Cunningham from the Marine Conservation Society told the newspaper that the organisation would like to see “much more prominent ‘don’t flush’ labelling” on cotton bud sticks in order to encourage more responsible consumer behaviour.

Asda, Tesco and Sainsbury’s are the UK’s three biggest supermarkets. Together they join Waitrose and Johnson & Johnson in pledging to make the switch, along side the Co-Op and Marks and Spencer, which already sell paper-stemmed buds. 

Waste Free Oceans launches new website

In keeping with the theme of cleaner seas, Waste Free Oceans (WFO) launched a new website on November 24.

The NGO says the "challenge of protecting our seas" is at the core of its efforts, with the new website designed to be more user-friendly and interactive. 

“The website is embedded in WFO’s wider strategy and represents an important component in our global communication plan,” explained Alexandre Dangis, WFO Co-Founder. “It takes us away from a web presence centred on information and moves us toward a platform meant to engage citizens ready to drive real impact in cleaning up our oceans.”