Our mission is to create a holiday space where people and wildlife can thrive together.

The impact of plastics, particularly on our oceans, is a fast-growing global issue. Nearly all

plastics are made from fossil fuels. Their production contributes to climate change. Plastic

never biodegrades in the natural environment, instead it breaks up into tiny 'microplastics',

which end up in our oceans. These microplastics attract toxic chemicals, are ingested by wildlife

and end up in our food chain. Larger pieces of plastic pose an ingestion hazard to wildlife.

Most plastics are not infinitely recyclable like some other materials, such as glass. They are

'down-cycled' rather than recycled; made into lower grade products which are eventually not

recyclable. Globally, only 9% of plastic is recycled.

We seek to use alternative, natural materials to plastic wherever possible.

Our Commitment

In November 2017 we set a commitment to end the use of single-use plastics in our operations,

products by 2020. This commitment extends past 2020 as we

continue to remove single-use plastics.

What is Single-use Plastic?

Single-use plastic is any disposable plastic item which is designed to be used only once, or for

only one short term purpose, before it is thrown away or recycled. You can find it in packaging,

containers, supporter products and materials used for marketing and events. We also regard

bio-plastics that are designed to be used once only as single-use plastic. If you are unsure

whether something is single-use plastic, please ask.

This includes but is not limited to…

• Plastic bags

• Plastic bottles

• Paper cups (lined in plastic)

• Disposable plates and cutlery

• Sugar packs

• Moulded plastic cases

• Drinks bottles

• Plastic film

• Bottle caps

• Drinking straws

• Food containers

• Plastic tableware

• Food packaging, such as Cling film

To ensure our commitment is met, the following steps are taken when purchasing any

item that contains single-use plastic (in order of preference):

1) Completely avoid: seek to avoid purchasing the item altogether, or in the case of

packaging ensure it is not present. This may require product redesign or a change in

behaviour

2) Use a reusable alternative: replace the item with a reusable alternative

3) Use a sustainable alternative from renewable source: replace the item with a

sustainable, renewable alternative, e.g. paper products (N.B see the Paper, Timber and

Print Procurement Policy)

4) Use a sustainable alternative from abundant source: replace the item with an

abundant material e.g. glass or metal

5) Use the best available plastic: if you cannot avoid a single-use plastic item due to

regulations (such as those relating to food packaging), you should choose either:

a) Plastic which is made from recycled material, and where possible, fully recyclable

(ideally at the kerbside for supporter/consumer materials)

b) Bioplastic:

i) Ensure it is a truly biodegradable alternative made from natural material, not a

synthetic plastic containing additives to make it ‘degradable’. Even the term

‘biodegradable’ is sometimes used to describe traditional, petrochemical basedplastic which contains additives to make them break down faster.

ii) Avoid bioplastic which uses primary crops which could be better used for food or

biofuel; look for bioplastic made from bi products rather than crops grown

specifically for bioplastic production.

iii) Consider how, and whether, the end user can dispose of it correctly

it is important to consider the whole life-cycle of the alternative we plan to

source. Your alternative should represent a better overall environmental

option than your original intended product.

We Consider:

• Is the product made from recycled content?

• Where is the product made?

• How it is produced (e.g. energy, water, chemicals used etc.)?

• How it is packaged and transported?

• The effect it has during its use?

• What happens to it at the end of its life (e.g. could it be recycled)?

Feedback - If you believe it is possible to source an alternative product with a better overall

environmental impact, please let us know