SOME Bradford businesses and a locally-based greener high streets organisation are pioneers of an effort to reduce disposable takeaway waste as news of a government ban on single-use plastic items is to come into effect later this year.

Bradford-based Green Street, a champion of sustainable retailing, is planning to launch as SaveIt ToSave campaign in the spring, which provide businesses with an alternative to single-use food packaging in the Bradford.

The news comes as single-use plastic items including cutlery, plates and polystyrene cups are set to be banned in England by the end of this year.

The move aims to cut down on single-use items that end up in rivers and seas and harm wildlife.

Bradford Telegraph and Argus: The Canteen has been working with Green Street on a project to introduce reusable cupsupThe Canteen has been working with Green Street on a project to introduce reusable cupsup (Image: UGC)

Victoria Robertshaw, founder of Green Street, said: "SaveIt ToSave is in the planning and development phase and it will be designed to find good reusable packaging for the right price.

"The problem is single-use plastics are much easier to get in the UK. Being sustainable shouldn't cost your more money.

"There so much you can do as a small business," said Ms Robertshaw. "People think recycling is the answer but the best thing to do is to buy something that you can keep reusing.

Green Street pioneered an initiative last autumn which saw them receive grant funding to to trial a returnable cups and food packaging scheme in the city.

Cafes such as Bread + Roses, The Canteen, Smorgasbord and Cafe Lisa signed up to a reusable cup scheme and MyLahore has been looking at packaging.

"This pioneering project was launched in Bradford," said Ms Robertshaw, who also praised MyLahore for its pro-active approach.

"They're really pro-active on packaging and a fantastic partner to have in this initiative."

"We are in the process of becoming the first restaurant in Bradford and Yorkshire to provide reusable curry boxes," said Ishfaq Farooq, director of MyLahore. "Customers would be able to return boxes to us.

"We're working with companies in Europe that do this because it's hard to find ones in Britain that are doing it.

"We're 50 per cent of the way there as we have to work out how to order them and how to return them.

"At the moment, we're trialling it with some of our customers to find out the pros and cons.

"We already don't use single-use plastics as all of our packaging is recyclable and biodegradable.

"We've been the pioneer of initiatives in Bradford and we want to lead on sustainability and being environmentally friendly.

"We have to look after the community and showcase to the hospitality industry that it can be done."

 

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