Bagfree Marsh is an environmental group working in conjunction with Marsh Forum. Their goal to reduce the number of plastic bags out there on the streets. They are encouraging local businesses to trial cornstarch bags. These are to be offered to shoppers as an alternative to plastic bags.

The groups aim is not to replace plastic bags with another form of disposable bag, the best bag of all is the reusable bag… but … there are times when a bag is needed and shops will want to offer one. Shoppers on the other hand are becoming increasingly unhappy with plastic bags. So in addition to the free plastic bag they want to encourage traders to offer biodegradable, fully compostable bags

Cornstarch bags are more expensive than the generic flimsy style plastic bags so traders may have to sell them rather than give them away. However the group feels that the kind of consumer who would want such a service would be prepared to pay a little for a much greener option. It is a way of raising public awareness and hopefully stimulating a market for compostable alternatives.As small businesses understandably may not want to take that risk Bagfree did a bit of begging and thanks to Kirklees Council and Biopac they secured a number of biodegradable bags for free.

Having got some bags they then contacted traders. Response was so positive that the project had to be phased limited as it was by the number of bags begged.

Shops participating in phase one are

ALL ABOUT FLOWERS
THE SAMARITANS
MEDICARE CHEMIST
PATRICIA’S FASHIONS
MARSH POST OFFICE
BIG BAPS
NATURAL CHOICE
CAFE LEON
DON’T FORGET
FOOD 4 U
C.W. PEACH CHEMIST LTD
S WHITEHEAD
COST CUTTERS
TIFFANY PARK
STYLE TEC

In the meantime Bagfree are doing some more begging and hope to secure some more free bags to include more shops in the project. They also hope that the chain stores will want to join the project.

the scheme is supported by the Mid Yorkshire Chamber of Commerce. Steven Leigh Senior Policy Adviser write that the “MYCCI supports initiatives which will help to protect the environment, and we welcome your campaign to encourage traders in Marsh to offer biodegradable, fully compostable bags. This is an initiative which is fully in line with Government thinking, and the Prime Minister has recently given his support to the efforts being made to drastically reduce the usage of plastic bags throughout Great Britain.”