David Warburton, MP for Somerton and Frome, has joined a campaign to rid Parliament of single-use plastics.

Launched by Cornwall-based Surfers Against Sewage, the environmental charity dedicated to protecting oceans, waves, beaches and wildlife, the Plastic-Free Parliament campaign aims to reduce single-use plastic items in Parliament including:

· Plastic cutlery

· Plastic straws and stirrers

· Single-serve condiments

· Soft drink bottles

· Coffee cups (including lids)

David has added his name to a list of more than 100 cross-party MPs who support the campaign to eradicate single-use plastics on the Parliamentary estate.

David explained: “In 2017 the House of Commons and the House of Lords used over two million avoidable single-use plastic items, including plastic cutlery, stirrers, sauce sachets, bottles, coffee cups, lids and milk portions. This is simply unacceptable when all of these items can easily be replaced with sustainable alternatives.

“The environmental impact of single-use plastic items is stark, and we must do all we can across all sectors and industries to reduce and eventually eliminate the use of unnecessary plastics. I am delighted to support Surfers Against Sewage Plastic-Free Parliament and look forward to seeing the eradication of single-use plastics in Parliament as soon as possible.”

Globally, five-to-thirteen trillion tonnes of plastics end up in our oceans every year. Surfers Against Sewage is launching a number of Plastic Free projects to bring together communities, schools and now Parliament to create plastic-free coastlines and put an end to single-use plastics worldwide.