Plastics Anglian Water Plastics Pledge January 2020 Background We - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

Plastics Anglian Water Plastics Pledge January 2020

Background We have had active interests in related areas to plastic for a number of years. Non-flushables and preventing sewer blockages has formed a core part of our pollution prevention programme. Much of this is linked to plastic non flushables. Beach and river cleans with a focus on litter removal have been part of our environmental programme since AMP 5. Catchment Management strategy – tackling pollution at source. Sector support Refill

Jan 2018 Blue Planet II Growing expectation from our staff and a narrative from our customers over what Anglian Water were planning to do.

Plastics i) Understanding the scale of the problem - working with partners across different sectors to calculate a baseline of the quantity and pledge nature of plastics entering our region’s environment. ii) Forming a coalition with other businesses, manufacturers and retailers who make or generate plastics to find solutions to reduce “Rid the their loss to the environment in our region. EoE of iii) Working with our customers to help them make changes in their homes to reduce their impact. problem iv) Working closely with our supply chain to eliminate single use plastics by plastic waste from our own activities. 2030”

Baselines Plastic items (by type) found on East of England beaches 2009-2018 140.0 Floats and Recognised early on that we needed buoys to work with partners to understand 120.0 the true scale of the issue. Foam/ sponge/ insulation 100.0 Wanted a regional ‘problem plastics’ Fishing baseline. 80.0 gear Available data isn't very good! Very 60.0 little exists at a regional level. Drinks bottles Cigarette 40.0 Apportion national or European data. lighters/ Jerry tobacco cans 20.0 pouches 0.0 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 Data source: MCS beachwatch data 2009-2018

Baselines Environmental impact 217 - 549 tonnes clothing fibres released 6,321 tonnes tyre into the environment Public awareness of problem wear released in 2018 into the environment in Level of public support for action 2018 178 tonnes Risk of impact on AW operations wet wipes flushed in 2018 55,482 tonnes plastic pots, tubs Consequences of impact on AW and trays placed 55,482 tonnes on the market in Ability to influence stakeholders plastic bottles 2018 placed on the Effectiveness of national controls market in 2018 Practicality of reducing impacts

Coalition “Rid the EoE of plastic pollution by 2030”

Coalition Wet wipes Cotton bud sticks Sanitary applicators Drinks cups & lids Baseline to establish metrics. Cutlery Plastic bottles Metrics to be able to Straws & stirrers measure effectiveness of Fishing gear action taken. Pre production plastics Microplastics (clothes & tyres) Agricultural plastics Cigarette filters Clothing fibres

Coalition: guiding principles Focus on areas Play to the not being strengths of Lobbying addressed by members Gov. Coordinate funding & initiatives Quick wins & Collaboration Evidence led showcase best with other practice initiatives

Customers Ambitious and modern As part of our PR19 activity we asked our customers about what they would like to see us do on the issue of plastic. We also shared the top ten plastics to see what they thought. Aligns with what Proactive and would be expected Right direction commendable of AW Will AW contribution alone be enough? Aids our transparency

AW activity Research Our Behaviours are the most complicated element so far. Events freebies and No disposable coffee Supply chain event ‘give aways’ cups and cutlery in planned early 2020 – canteens set the challenge Company newspaper comes in paper Reusable bottles and envelope and not cups provided to all plastic PPE options employees Working with the EA / Water cooler and Staff keeping plastics Water UK to create vending cups all diaries across multiple operating technique cardboard departments – agreements to common target areas minimise plastic media Plates not polystyrene loss from filters Recycling practices

Next steps lgilfoyle@anglianwater.co.uk Prevent the equivalent of 4 billion plastic bottles ending up as waste by 2030 . We will end the use of avoidable single-use plastics in our businesses and support the contribution which the public can make by providing water refill facilities and through education. Our ambition is to be world-leading in the role water companies can play in the wider campaign to cut down on plastic pollution.