More schools and businesses in County Durham are being urged to sign a pledge meaning they will stop using single use plastics.

More than 300 signatures have already signed up to the pledge to switch to reusable products launched by Durham County in 2018. 

Beamish Museum is just one of the organisations that have signed up so far as councillors renew their plea to to cut down and scale back.

Cllr Mark Wilkes, Durham County Council’s Cabinet member for neighbourhoods and climate change, said: “Since the 1950s, the world has produced more than nine billion metric tonnes of plastics.

“It’s thought that more than five trillion pieces of plastic are in the world’s oceans and, as plastics aren’t biodegradable, they can stay in the environment for hundreds of years.

“This can impact on our health as well as the environment and, of course, it also contributes to climate change as nearly all plastics are made from fossil fuels. That’s why it’s so important that we all do our bit to cut down on single-use plastics.

“Simple changes like carrying reusable shopping bags and bottles, or packing your lunch in a reusable container, can make a huge difference, and we’d encourage everyone to help bring about a positive change both at home and within their organisation.”

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Lisa Wilkinson, the museum’s sustainability manager, added: “Beamish Museum was delighted to sign the pledge and make a difference by eliminating single use plastic, wherever possible, across the museum.

“We don’t use any in our food outlets, and have implemented greener, more sustainable options across the organisation, and we know it is what our visitors want and expect.

“It is so important that we all help protect the environment and wildlife from the devastating impacts of single use plastic.”