Working together to end plastic pollution

Plastic pollution causes disease and suffering. It contributes to climate change and mass extinction. It may threaten our existence.

Plastic Free Swindon is an organisation dedicated to help end plastic pollution. We are part of Friends of the Earth and the global Break Free From Plastic movement. We are working to develop a system of zero waste; good for the environment, people, animals, and local economies.

We provide a newsletter to keep up with our work.

Campaigns

Refill Swindon

Mobile phone with app displayed next to water bottle.  Reads, 'Reduce, reuse, refill, repeat.  Download the Refill app'  Join the #RefillRevolution

It is estimated that the Refill scheme has saved around 100 million pieces pieces of plastic from being created / polluting the environment. This is a simple, empowering scheme for people, businesses and other organisations to reduce plastic creation / pollution. Read more and join the Refill revolution.

Keep Swindon Tidy

Keep Swindon Tidy poster from our gallery

We're working to clean up Swindon and change attitudes and behaviours towards littering. See our blogs, newsletter, Facebook, and Instagram for details. Other activities include a poster gallery and Keep Swindon Tidy Day. Read more..

Media

Birds and Bees

Swindon 105.5 logo: 'It's your local'

The Birds and Bees radio show provides local environmental news and interviews. It airs each Friday from 2-3pm on Swindon 105.5, a radio station run by and for the local community. Also available on catch up. Plastic-related content is published on this website. Find out more.

Organisations

Growing South Swindon Community

Community gardening event

This organisation was born from collaboration at Cambria Bridge and along the canal path. Its core aims are to build community and transform spaces. It can help us deal with plastic pollution in various ways. Read more.

Education

Why plastic recycling doesn't work

A mountain of plastic bottles.  Recyclers climb makeshift stairs with large sacks full of bottles.
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We can't recycle our way out of plastic pollution. They key to dealing with plastic pollution is reduction in plastic production.

Plastic, oppression, and the global food system

Two forearms are chained together.  The arms consist of words including 'poverty', 'racism', 'neglect', 'classism', 'violence', 'prejudice'.
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The global food system is at the heart of environmental and social crises, including plastic pollution. Understanding this oppressive and destructive system provides a simple yet immensely powerful solution. Read more.

Equality and the Environment

'Twenty of the richest billionaires are estimated, on average, to be emitting as much as 8000 times more carbon than the billion poorest people'
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Cost of living crisis or system of oppression? The UK is among the most economically unequal countries in the world. A 2009 book based on scientific research called The Spirit Level showed that economic inequality contributes to societal factors such as high crime rates, poor mental health, and violence. It is now understood to contribute to other maladies such as climate change and plastic pollution. Read more.

Government corruption

Chart showing waste generation per capita 2016.  The USA top the chart, followed by the UK
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The UK goverment are not world leaders in dealing with plastic waste, as they claim to be. In fact the UK is the 2nd biggest producer of plastic per person in the world. Much of our plastic waste is still dumped on poor countries or incinerated, polluting the environment and us along with it. Indeed The government partner with the World Economic Forum, which consists of Big Plastic / Big Oil and the banks who fund them. Hence we have no guarantees from local MPs that trade deals won't hinder our ability to deal with plastic pollution. As government disinformation and connections with the oil industry are increasingly understood, they are attempting to make themselves unaccountable, described as a "power grab" by Liberty human rights organisation.

Topics include The Environment Act 2022, Plastic Packaging Tax, Deposit Return Scheme (DRS), waste incineration, The PCSC Act, trade deals, fracking, zero waste, and The Bill of Rights Bill. Read more.

The Life of a plastic bottle

A symbol indicating no plastic bottles allowed
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Pollution from plastic doesn't only occur at the end of its life when it is put in landfill, dumped or burnt. Plastic is polluting throughout its 'life', using energy and resources. This is all so unnecessary. Learn why the focus must be on reducing plastic production rather than recycling and the amazing difference we can make supporting Refill / reuse.