TOWN councillors in Launceston said they were impressed with the eloquence of letters received from the youth of the town regarding plastic waste.

At the June full council meeting, members discussed ways in which the council could reduce its plastic waste, especially during events in the town hall. This was as a result of the letters received by the council from local school children, who are members of the town’s Youth Council, run by mayor Cllr Margaret Young, asking the council to support the campaign to reduce plastic waste.

Cllr Young said: “We have notes here written by very eloquent young people. All three letters are really well written and ask us as a council to help with the situation of plastic disposal in the town.”

She added: “This shows that the youth council isn’t all about buns and pizza — we do actually do some proper work you know!”

Councillors agreed that the issue of plastic waste disposal was something they should be considering and commended the children for bringing it to their attention.

Cllr Young suggested the council could consider installing a recycling bin in the town hall. She said during previous events held in the hall plastic milk bottles have been put in regular rubbish bins as there are no recycling facilities.

Town clerk Christopher Drake said plastic glasses at town council events were also potentially problematic for the same reason and said the council might want to look into sourcing more sustainable cups, adding: “We could implement a penalty if companies come in and don’t use recyclable or reusable glasses. Maybe we should change our in house practices?”

Cllr Rob Tremain said recycling was one of the big issues not only in the town hall but the town itself. He said: “I am happy to support this. Cornwall Council are looking into recycling but when you go to the tip it is only tins and bottles that can be recycled, we can’t do anything with food trays. We aren’t ashamed of Cornwall Council but their recycling isn’t as good as other authorities.

“Maybe we ourselves can look at getting a plastics bin in the bar area of the town hall as a start?”

Mr Drake said he would look into the options for a recycling bin in the town hall.

The council then left standing orders so the Rev Teresa Folland, who had attended to bless the meeting, could speak. She wondered whether plastic recycling bins could be rolled out on a larger scale across the town.

She said: “I went to Brussels last year and everywhere you go they have recycling bins instead of regular rubbish bins in the streets. Is there anything we could do to maybe redesign our bins and make the issue a bit more visible?”

Cllr John Conway said if they were to look at town wide projects he suggested they try to make it easier for businesses to recycle. He said: “At the moment local businesses have to pay to have their recycling taken away.

“Businesses that want to recycle can’t afford to, they already have high rates to pay. It is a disincentive — can we do something to make it easier for them?”

Cllr Young said schools ‘come under that same umbrella’ as paper and cardboard are staple resources that can be recycled but it is an added expense. She said the council would look into what it could do immediately to increase its recycling abilities.

Cllr Jessica Williams agreed the council should be leading by example: “We are recycling, can you?”

Cllr Paul O’Brien said he thought it would be a good to hear the ideas of the young people who wrote the original letters: “It strikes me, as this approach comes from the youth — who I have to say have the most active minds and are much better tuned in to this problem than we are — that we refer this back to the youth council to hear their ideas.”

The town council agreed to look into the possibilities of become greener and increasing its recycling capabilities whilst reducing the plastic it uses.