Reducing the Use of Plastic

Part of 1. Questions to the First Minister – in the Senedd at 2:02 pm on 27 February 2018.

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Photo of Julie James Julie James Labour 2:02, 27 February 2018

I think it's a very laudable aim. I'm not too sure about china ones, but I know that David Melding has heard me on one of my many soapboxes on a number of occasions about my antipathy towards single-use coffee cups, and my carrying around, to the detriment of the inside of my handbag on occasions, coffee cups that can be refilled. Indeed, I'm very pleased that the Assembly estate largely uses china cups as well, but we have a little issue with the lids, I think. 

It's surprisingly hard to eliminate plastic from your life. I've had a go at it myself, and there are some products that are very, very difficult to get hold of without plastic, so there is a big issue about us working with the UK Government to ensure that we put some pressure on manufacturers to come up with alternatives. There are lots of things we can do in the meantime, though, and I will certainly be taking up his suggestion on the Welsh Government estate to see what we can do to reduce what we currently have in terms of single-use plastic. And, if the Llywydd will indulge me for one minute, I will repeat something I've already said in this Chamber, which is that I would thoroughly encourage everybody to be using bamboo-handled toothbrushes, which are an excellent substitute for single-use plastic toothbrushes.