Madam,

I echo Dave Haskell’s letter about the scourge of plastic as more and more food products are being put into squeezy bottles without our knowing the outcome of these ‘convenient’ containers health-wise.

I decided that this year I would no longer accept plastic/polythene when out shopping in both Aberystwyth and Aberaeron.

Admittedly it takes a bit of planning, plus the cost of one or two rigid plastic containers (I know, but it’s a start) but it can be done.

Rattray’s butchers will put both cooked meats and raw into (separate, of course) containers we provide and Jonah’s fish merchants have been very helpful by weighing out the fish and then putting it into our containers.

Also, Slaters Bakery will slice the bread and wrap it in their tissue which I then put into a larger paper bag until I get home.

Maeth-y-Meysydd have started in a small way by selling some milk from Calon Wen in glass returnable bottles. Spices bought in small amounts so as not to lose their potency are weighed and put into paper bags for decanting at home; they have been doing that for years.

Chemists Lloyds and Boots will also put medication packs into paper bags if requested. If you don’t ask - you don’t get.

Costcutter’s, too, will let you reuse the flimsy plastic bags for vegetables such as sprouts, and items such as apples and tomatoes can be just put straight into your basket and they will be weighed at the checkout. In the near future I shall be taking brown paper bags to use for my vegetables instead of the flimsy bags. One thing at a time.

Unfortunately it’s not all plain sailing as the Spars in the towns still insist on selling their broccoli and swede in shrink wrap (it keeps fresher for longer, so they say in reply to my letters of complaint), bananas in plastic bags but at least not single apples as Dave despairs - yet! I deal with that one - once bought I simply remove the veg from the bag and leave it on the counter!

So, you see it can be done if a little thought is taken. We have been blinded over the years by the use of this insidious material and know that change will not happen overnight but happen it must. Singly, we cannot do it all, but together we can all make a difference.

Yours etc,

Sue Slocombe, Llanon.

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