Plastic Free Yr Wyddfa

Making Yr Wyddfa plastic-free can’t happen overnight, so the National Park Authority embarked on the ‘Plastic-Free Path’ together with visitors, businesses and schools, and learning from each other to protect the mountain. The goal is to reduce the volume of single-use plastics sold, used, and discarded on and around Wales’ busiest mountain. The hope is to eliminate all unnecessary plastics from the waste stream in the future!

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Efforts will be focused on Single Use Plastics (SUP) for the project, as it’s these items that are found most often on Yr Wyddfa, as well as where they think we can immediately effect change.

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By reducing plastic waste on yr Wyddfa they're also shining a light on the broader issue of littering in in the national park. By designating Yr Wyddfa as a ‘Plastic-Free Zone’, they can leverage the big impact of ‘Plastic-Free’ messaging and raise awareness of the damage other waste types have on the mountain too (banana peels included!).

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Travel Without Plastic, together with Share Impact and Solutions for The Planet, co-managed the start of the Plastic Free Mountain project, The core long term aims of which are to:

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• Initiate a high-profile, proactive message about the environment in Snowdonia

• Reduce the amount of litter, especially single use plastics, left in the area

• Reduce the plastic and micro-plastic pollution in the Park

• Work alongside businesses, communities and schools to ensure a strong message isdelivered to ensure clear understanding, and

• Influence behavioural change regarding plastic pollution towards this precious area

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In addition to extensive desk research, stakeholder interviews and surveys with local people and businesses, we produced a robust final report which documented strategic and practical recommendations for businesses, policymakers and educators which was accompanied with a range of practical tools.

 

We were delighted to see that our suggestion of creating the role for a dedicated member of staff was realised and has no doubt been a catalyst for the ongoing success of the initiative.