Chesterfield firms leading the fight against single-use plastics

More than 20 businesses have signed up to be plastic-free champions in Chesterfield - and more are wanted.
Watch more of our videos on Shots! 
and live on Freeview channel 276
Visit Shots! now

Greg Hewitt, who launched Plastic-Free Chesterfield last summer, is delighted with the success so far, but is now looking for more people to get involved.

The museum fundraising and communications assistant, from Tapton, said: “We’re working together in our community to address single-use plastics.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

“We’ve now recruited 25 businesses to become “plastic-free champions”, taking action on addressing at least three items of single-use plastic, and we'd love to have a lot more signing up.

Greg Hewitt, right, from Plastic-Free Chesterfield, hands a certificate to Joanne Hardy, Keith Todd, Adrian Todd and Diane Thompson, from  No 10 cafe in Chesterfield town centre.Greg Hewitt, right, from Plastic-Free Chesterfield, hands a certificate to Joanne Hardy, Keith Todd, Adrian Todd and Diane Thompson, from  No 10 cafe in Chesterfield town centre.
Greg Hewitt, right, from Plastic-Free Chesterfield, hands a certificate to Joanne Hardy, Keith Todd, Adrian Todd and Diane Thompson, from No 10 cafe in Chesterfield town centre.

He said the target was 34, an objective towards Chesterfield being accreditated as a plastic-free town, but he believed many more could sign up.

The 31-year-old said: There’s still more work to do. but 25 businesses so far is a great start. We want to be about 50 – with the size of Chesterfield, that’s the miminum.

“We want to get single-use plastics seen like smoking, that they’re wrong to use.”

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

He said single-use plastic bottles and bags remained a problem.

Greg Hewitt, of Plastic-Free Chesterfield, hands a certificate to Sharron O'Carroll, from Thyme to Eat.Greg Hewitt, of Plastic-Free Chesterfield, hands a certificate to Sharron O'Carroll, from Thyme to Eat.
Greg Hewitt, of Plastic-Free Chesterfield, hands a certificate to Sharron O'Carroll, from Thyme to Eat.

He added: “We don’t expect people to be perfect, you can’t change overnight, but if people can change a little at a time, that’s great.”

No 10 cafe, on South Street, Chesterfield, is one of the town’s plastic-free champions.

Keith Todd, from the cafe, said: "Most of our stuff now, about 60 to 70 per cent, is wood or cardboard, although, at the same time, we’re still improving where we can.”

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Sharron O’Carroll, from fellow champion Thyme to Eat, a vegetarian and vegan cafe on The Shambles, said: “For a long time, we've been trying to reduce plastic.

“We don't use any single-use plastic tubs, we always give milk in metal jugs, we don't use plastic bottles, we use paper straws, our take-out boxes are degrabable and our knives and forks are degradable.

“I just think it’s something we should all be a bit more mindful of and try to do a bit more.”

Greg has now arranged a meeting for anyone who would like to find out more or get involved in the campaign. It takes place at the Chesterfield Arms, Newbold Road, Chesterfield, on Monday, January 20, from 7pm.

Related topics: