Oxford City Council gives green light to plastics ban

Last night, 20 March, Oxford City Council approved a ban on single use plastics from April as part of the city’s updated street trading policy.

The new policy includes a ban on the sale of helium balloons and sky lanterns, which are said to have harmful environmental impacts on wildlife.

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The ban was pioneered by the Liberal Democrat councillor for Summertown Katherine Miles after she tabled a motion on sustainable street trading.

Councillor Katherine Miles (Image: Contributed)

The ban was initially voted for at the council’s licensing committee and has come in response to a sustained campaign which has been led by Liberal Democrats, with the support of the Green Party.

Ms Miles said: “We have heard from the UN scientists that drastic action is needed to combat climate change.

“Single-use plastic and unsustainable food packaging can often end up discarded on our streets as litter, and contributes to greenhouse gas emissions through its production.

“Moving traders away from single-use plastic is an effective way of avoiding plastic waste and the environmental impacts of its production.”

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Ms Miles’ motion was seconded by Green Party councillor Lois Muddiman and it was welcomed by OxClean and the owner of the local independent business Taste Tibet.

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The council is imposing the ban ahead of the anticipated national ban on single use plastics later this year.

The approval of the ban coincided with the UN’s Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change calling for the world to act now on climate change before it’s too late.