Islington's recycling record is leaving others green with envy – as the borough's plastic bag amnesty gets off to a roaring start. <br><br>A green "plastic bag monster" toured Upper Street "eating" plastic bags to raise awareness about the issue and urging shoppers to use cloth bags instead. <br><br>Islington Council is collecting residents' plastic bags at the Green Living Centre, in Upper Street, N1, and will give away a free cloth bag for every ten handed in. <br><br>Cllr Greg Foxsmith, Islington Council's Executive Member for Environment, said: "Plastic bags are horrendous for the environment and do a huge amount of damage to wildlife. <br><br>"But many stores still insist on handing them out. As shoppers, we have the power to put a stop to this by refusing to accept them." <br><br>Every year, an estimated 17.5 billion plastic bags are given away by supermarkets. This is equivalent to over 290 for every person in the UK. <br><br>Such bags litter the streets, threaten wildlife and take thousands of years to degrade.<br><br>Although plastic bags can be recycled there is little demand for this type of plastic, so re-usable bags are seen as the best option. <br><br>Islington's drive to reduce plastic bag use is part of Watch Your Waste Week. The week - which is the first of its kind to be held in the capital - aims to raise awareness of waste prevention and promote measures which will achieve a reduction in waste.<br><br>ENDS <br><br>For more information please call Chris Weeks on 020 7527 3032
Page Last Updated: 17 December 2009