SUPs can be described as any disposable plastic item designed to be used only once or for a short period of time. SUPs are often used in packaging, consumer products, cosmetics, personal protective equipment and healthcare products. Examples include plastic bags, disposable utensils, plastic bottles, balloons and wet wipes.
Our SUP policy was approved by Cabinet in October 2021 and reviewed in April 2023.
The policy means that SUPs should be removed from our buildings and services where practical, reducing our usage where SUPs can't be avoided, making more conscious and responsible choices, and finding ways to reduce unnecessary waste in the council and across Derbyshire.
The policy requires everyone to play their part in reducing the use of SUPs by enabling what is known as the 5 Rs: refuse, reduce, reuse, repurpose and recycle.
Leading by example
All employees have a role to play is reducing the use of SUPs in their day-to-day work, ways that you can do this include:
- listing the SUPs your team uses and emailing the list to climate.change@derbyshire.gov.uk. This will help us understand what SUPs we use and how we can support finding possible alternatives and to share experience
- not buying new plastic folders or plastic wallets – we have lots of empty folders which can be reused
- when buying things for work, look for more sustainable alternatives, such as pens made from recycled plastic or lanyards made from bamboo
- where suitable alternatives aren't available, making sure that SUPs contain a recycled content of at least 30% and can themselves be recycled
- where you have to use SUPs, disposing of these properly. Always use the recycling facilities available if plastics and any other waste can be recycled. If your work area doesn't have a recycling bin, ask your manager to find out how to get one. Clinical waste should always be disposed of through the appropriate contractor and should never be placed in the recycling or general waste
- avoiding buying plastic bottles of water by bringing in your own reusable bottle and using the filtered cold water taps in the kitchenettes to refill it
Working with our suppliers, contractors and communities
If you have a role in procurement or commissioning, you can influence suppliers to minimise their use of SUPs and encourage them to provide sustainable alternatives to any SUP products they supply. You can include these requirements in your specification.
Packaging is a major source of single use plastic – always specify that, where packaging is necessary, it should be recycled and recyclable.
Reducing SUPs at organised events
If you're organising or attending events, try to avoid SUP items and encourage event organisers to do the same. Consider alternatives to vinyl banners and make signs and banners 'evergreen' - don't put dates or other wording on them that limits their period of relevance or usefulness.
If you're an event organiser, raise awareness of the importance of recycling or disposing of SUPs and all waste properly to reduce the negative impact on wildlife, the environment and health. Avoid SUP use as much as possible but provide recycling facilities where possible.
Here are some tips:
- use clear signage to make bins easily identifiable for people attending the event
- put general waste and recycling bins together - if you only give people the option of a general waste bin, they'll often put any waste in there, including recyclable items
- locate bins in high-traffic areas: entrances and exits, near toilets, main walkways, and near car parks
- make sure the bins are secure and adequately covered so that wildlife and pests can't access the waste, and extreme weather won't disperse waste across the event site
- let people know about the recycling facilities during the event
- empty bins regularly
- make sure the site is cleaned up and all waste is removed appropriately