Martin Whitfield MSP is backing the Marine Conservation Society’s Plastic Challenge, which is encouraging people to take small but impactful steps to help reduce single-use plastic consumption.

The challenge, which runs throughout July, supports people to look closely at their buying habits and help them to make informed choices to cut out single-use plastic in the long term. It will run alongside the Plastic Free July campaign, one of the world’s biggest environmental movements.

Ahead of the start of the challenge, the charity has published research showing the public are largely supportive of measures to help reduce single-use plastics in our everyday lives, with 82% of the British public surveyed support mandatory labelling for single-use products containing plastic.

Martin Whitfield MSP said:

“Public concern about the impact of single-use plastics has been growing for years and I know there is a real appetite among many people for doing more to help tackle the problem at a grassroots level.

“The Marine Conservation Society’s Plastic Challenge is a practical way of exploring our own shopping habits and how we can make changes to reduce the amount of single-use plastic we consume. 

“The charity provides helpful tips, facts and easy guides to support people to think more about what they eat, where they shop and what they actually need during July and then take that knowledge and experience on into the future.

“I’m urging anyone who wants to change their shopping habits to reduce the amount of single-use plastic in their daily lives to sign up to the challenge today.”

Find out more about the Plastic Challenge and how to get involved at www.mcsuk.org/what-you-can-do/plastic-challenge