ABERPORTH remained at the centre of a media storm this week as TV crews, radio stations and national newspapers covered the coastal community’s bid to become the first plastic-free village in Wales.

Members of the Aberporth Plastic Free steering committee were inundated with requests for interviews after The Times reported on the village’s initiative.

For two days the Ship Inn pub became a media hub as TV and radio crews turned up for interviews.

Local businesses have led the way in ditching plastic – the Ship Inn has stopped using plastic straws and introduced alternatives to sauce sachets and milk containers, while London House Stores has made national headlines by reintroducing glass bottles of milk and recycling the empties.

Local takeaway café Cwtch Glanmordy has pledged to stop using plastic cutlery and encourage people to bring their own mugs for coffee.

Plastic Free Aberporth founder member Gail Tudor – who was interviewed by German TV – said she was overwhelmed by the response of the media.

“It has really put Aberporth (population 1,100) – and more importantly the plastic-free initiative – on the map,” she said.

Plastic Free Aberporth spokesperson Sue Lewis said the campaign was aimed at encouraging people to reduce the amount of unnecessary plastic they used.

“Our approach is very much the carrot as opposed to the stick,” she added. “We have some fantastic vistas here at Aberporth and it’s really important to us as a village to keep that ocean clean and plastic-free.

“The Blue Planet television series has helped to raise the profile of this issue enormously. Big companies follow the money and if customers say ‘we don’t want plastic in our products’ they will respond accordingly.”

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