London,
21
October
2015
|
16:15
Europe/London

More independent shops in Hackney pledge to stop giving out free plastic bags

More small shops are helping to reduce the number of plastic bags given out in Hackney.

Since 5 October, all large shops have had to charge 5p for every plastic bag they give out.

In Hackney, small shops (which are currently exempt from the legislation) are being invited by the council to pledge not to offer plastic bags to customers unless they specifically ask for one. Many independent shops are also choosing to charge 5p and donate the proceeds to good causes. Others are handing out limited edition I Love Hackney reusable bags to customers.

Shops to have signed up so far include:

  • Clarks Chemist, 68 Broadway Market, E8 4QJ
  • Buggies and Bikes, 23 Broadway Market, E8 4PH
  • Amhurst Food Centre, 241 Amhurst Road, N16 7UN
  • Food Express 105 Great Eastern St EC2 3JD
  • Dalston Lane Supermarket 174b Dalston Lane E8 1NG
  • A&SCYCLES 1 Chatsworth Road, Clapton E5 0LH
  • Kolos Super market Unit, 230-240 Stoke Newington High Street, N16 7HU
  • Food For All, 3 Cazenove Road, N16 6PA
  • Spandeli, 246 Dalston Lane, E8 1LQ
  • PALM2, 6 Millfields Road, E5 0SB
  • First Stop News and Wine, 69 Nile Street, N1 7RE
  • Tangerina Artisan Coffee Shop 74 Green Lanes N16 9EJ
  • Paintworks Limited 99-101 Kingsland Road E2 8AG
  • Amhurst Food Centre 241 Amhurst Road N16 7UN
  • L'épicerie@56, 56 Chatsworth Road E5
  • The Grocery, 54-56 Kingsland Road E2 8AB
  • Isle of Olive, 6 Ada Street E8 4QU
  • GK Locksmiths, 45 Stoke Newington Church Street N16 0NX
  • Sunfood supermarket, 403 Mare Street E8 1HY
  • Footnote Café, Wilton Way E8
  • The Deli Downstairs, 211 Victoria Park Road E9 7JN
  • The Hackney Draper, 25 Chatsworth Rd E5 0LH
  • Fabrications, 7 Broadway Market E8 4PH
  • Furnish, 7 Chatsworth Road E5 0LH
  • Cuckoo Wines, 164 Stoke Newington Rd N16 7UY
  • Gallo Nero Delicatessen, 75 Stoke Newington High Street N16 8EL
  • Nook, 153 Stoke Newington Church Street N16 0UH
  • The Ark, 161 Stoke Newington Rd N16 8BP
  • Village Organic, 89 Lauriston Road E9 7HJ
  • Sun Star Express, 135-137 City road EC1V 1JB
  • City News, 122 Clarence Road E5 8JA
  • Barkfield Food & Wine, 194-196 Kingsland Road, London E2 8EB
  • Raka Off Licence, 103 Upper Clapton Road, Upper Clapton E5 9BU
  • Londis, 76 Fountayne Road N16 7DT
  • The Household Store, 161 Stoke Newington High Street N16 0NY
  • Londis Supermarket, 46-48 Mathias Road N16 8QD
  • Best Free Off Licence Ltd, 157A Mare Street E8 3RH
  • Kacey's Off licence & Newsagent, 29 Homerton High Street E9 6JP
  • Londis, 46-48 Broadway Market E8 4QJ
  • Stamford Hill Off Licence, 68 Stamford Hill, Stoke Newington N16 6XS
  • Newsagent Good News, 56 Paul Street, Moorgate EC2A 4LN
  • Godstar Foodstore, Woodberry Grove N4 2LZ
  • TJ Electrics, 174 Stoke Newington Church Street N16 0TJ

To sign up, shops should send an e-mail to: recycling.team@hackney.gov.uk, including their name and address. They will then be sent a free pack, including stickers and posters to promote the campaign.

Almost eight billion plastic carrier bags were given away in England last year. That’s a total of 68,600 tonnes, 270 very second, or 133 per person. The environmental damage is substantial. Plastic carrier bags can take up to 1,000 years to degrade, litter the streets, and maim or kill wildlife.

It is estimated, for instance, that 90 per cent of the world’s seabirds have pieces of plastic in their gut, while more than five trillion pieces of plastic are floating in the oceans.

When a similar scheme was introduced in Wales, plastic bag consumption was reduced by 79 per cent in three years, and it is estimated this latest legislation will raise £730million for good causes.