ABERYSTWYTH and Lampeter are battling it out to become the first plastic-free town in Wales after Aberporth became the first plastic-free community in the country.

The village took up the plastic-free campaign just three months ago and attracted worldwide media interest as locals vowed to reduce their single-use plastic.

The plastic-free accolade was announced by Surfers Against Sewage live on BBC’s The One Show last Wednesday evening and now both Lampeter and Aberystwyth are bidding to become the first plastic-free town in Wales.

Plastic-free Aberporth steering group founder Gail Tudor said: “We are absolutely thrilled to have achieved this award for Aberporth in such a short time thanks to the local people and businesses that have got involved, but we know this is just a start and our campaign against single-use plastics will continue as we look to include more businesses and continue with our regular beach cleans and hope to be able to spread the single-use plastic-free message to our summer visitors too."

Meanwhile, Lampeter town councillors have unanimously backed a move by Cllr Dinah Mulholland to try and make their community the first plastic-free town in Wales.

Cllr Mulholland urged colleagues to also encourage Ceredigion County Council to commit to a plastic-free Ceredigion.

The council is now teaming up with Lampeter Chamber of Trade to explore ways of helping local businesses go plastic-free.

“The aim is to encourage, rather than dictate,” said Cllr Mulholland.

Aberystwyth Town Council became the first authority in the UK to pass a motion supporting the Surfers Against Sewage ‘Plastic Free Coastline’ campaign in July.

Some members of a steering group, including Aberystwyth Beach Buddies’ Chris Woodfield, local SAS representative Laura Truelove, and some councillors, shunned plastics altogether for January to raise awareness of the campaign.

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