LLANGOLLEN could be the next town to join the turning tide against plastic pollution.

Plastic Free Llangollen, a plastic-free campaign group against the usage of single-use plastics in the town, has applied for ‘Plastic Free Community’ status by Surfers Against Sewage (SAS), a charity for marine conservation against plastic pollution.

The charity awards towns with plastic-free status if they are able to pass five ‘Plastic Free Objectives’, such as ensuring a certain number of businesses proportionate to population size are committed to finding three plastic-free alternatives to common culprits such as straws, spoons, bags and packaging.

Plastic Free Llangollen, led by volunteer Mair Davies, currently has 23 businesses and counting - enough for Llangollen's population to double and still qualify for plastic-free status.

Ms Davies said: “I started the group as I was trying to reduce my own plastic use and looked at various plastic-free projects, when I decided to start one for Llangollen.

“The reason I volunteer my time is because plastic pollution is affecting our everyday lives. Litter is everywhere, and we should be doing all we can to help.

“When I approached businesses, I found that many, particularly shop owners in the town, were very keen to get on-board and were already taking steps to reduce plastic use.

“We have now have over twenty three businesses sign up – our population could be double and we would still qualify under this objective.

“The infrastructure for a shared effort to reduce plastic use was already in place in Llangollen, with the Friends of the Earth, the Chamber of Trade and Shop Local scheme – it just needed action.”

Ms Davies has also signed more than 10 businesses and counting to a separate campaign, ‘Refill’, which looks to make refilling water bottles as easy, convenient and cheap as possible by businesses on streets across the UK to sign up as refill stations via an app.

Ms Davies said: “The idea is that people who are concerned about environmental issues will be aware that businesses signed up to ‘Refill’ are eco-friendly and they will therefore visit them, which can in turn raise the profile and footfall of those businesses.

“This will help to ensure less plastic bottles are being used.”

In 2016, 200 plastic bottles were found per mile of UK coastline, while the Great Pacific Garbage Patch is three times the size of France.

Ms Davies commented: “While people in inland towns cannot see the effects of litter on oceans first-hand, much of ocean plastic pollution comes from rivers.

“What legacy are we going to leave for our kids? We don’t live in a microclimate anymore; food is shipped all over the world. Ruining the environment everywhere else will come back to bite us. This is everyone’s planet.”

Rachel Yates, plastic free communities project officer for Surfers Against Sewage, said: “We are working with over 330 communities across the UK, and eight internationally, to tackle single use avoidable plastics. Llangollen is one of several communities in Wales taking on the campaign; we already have four approved locations in the country!

"We’re really excited to see how Plastic Free Llangollen get on and look forward to awarding another Welsh community status very soon.”

To find out more about Plastic Free Llangollen or to get involved, visit their Facebook page. For more information on Surfers Against Sewage, visit www.sas.org.uk