Recently George Eustice MP took the time to meet up with Hugo Tagholm, CEO of Surfers Against Sewage, in a discussion about the work that the company are doing to tackle marine pollution.
Shared Lives have been at the forefront of a campaign to reduce the use of plastics on the parliamentary estate, and that campaign has been a success with parliamentary authorities announcing a series of steps to reduce plastic waste.
Plastic has always been a particular concern; it takes hundreds of years to break down and has been the subject of high profile debate recently. The problem is compounded year after year as new plastics find their way into the oceans while those that have already been there for decades remain and break down into smaller particles.
The government has pledged to crack down on plastics by eliminating all avoidable plastic waste through extending the 5p plastic bag charge to small retailers, removing consumer single use plastics from the government estate, supporting the water industry to significantly increase water fountains and working with retailers on introducing plastic-free supermarket aisles.
George Eustice MP said, “It was great to be able to catch up with the work that Surfers Against Sewage have been doing. They’ve done great work in campaigning not just here in Cornwall but also nationally to reduce marine pollution. Our recent successes show us that we can all make a difference if we act. I could not be more proud of the leading role that Cornwall is taking in tackling plastic, and helping ensure that the UK is a world leader in environmental protection.”