Campaigning schoolchildren persuade travel firm to ditch single-use plastic

PGL Travel Ltd has stopped using condiment sachets, milk cartons, plastic cups and stirrers after receiving 66 letters from the Year 6 pupils of Orchard Lea Junior School in Fareham.

The children decided to take action after a trip to PGL’s residential centre at Osmington Bay in Dorset which left them shocked by the scale of plastic waste.

Sophie Barrett, aged 10, said: ‘It was really sad to see all the single use plastic containers. All the sauces were in individual sachets, the milk was in tiny single use cartons and there were plastic stirrers for hot drinks. We calculated that over the week, with all the schools in the centre, there were over 20,000 single use plastics used.’

Classmate Daniel Mapson, aged 11, added: ‘The centre is in a beautiful location overlooking the bay and it is really sad to think of all the plastics being used which can end up on the beach or in the sea.’

The children were motivated to take action after studying about the devastating consequences that plastics can have on the marine ecosystem.

Year 6 pupil Delilah Brenton, 11, said: ‘Sometimes with larger plastics, animals can become trapped and end up choking or be unable to feed.

‘Smaller plastics get into the food chain when they are eaten by fish. It is estimated that by 2050 there will be more pieces of plastic in the oceans than fish,’ added Sophie.

In order to ensure their message was heard, students suggested more environmentally friendly alternatives and included calculations as to the potential financial costs as well as environmental.

Ben Chinnery, 10, said: ‘Instead of individual sachets and cartons I suggested using large multi-use containers, cutlery and wooden stirrers.’

‘I calculated the cost of 100 sachets of sauce is around £6.60 where as a 1.4 kilogram bottle of ketchup is only £3.60. We worked out that the single use sachets were costing the company £73.90 each day which comes to nearly £27,000 a year,’ added Daniel.

After receiving the letters, PGL have decided to revolutionise their catering policy not just at Osmington Bay but at the company’s 13 centres across the UK. The decision was made after Osmington Bay catering manager, Dave Bithell, took the letters to a management team meeting.

Mr Bithell said: ‘We had all the catering managers from across the country at the meeting as well as the overall catering manager, operations manager and operations director. It was agreed to take on board the children’s advice and move away from single use plastics. All portions of ketchup, brown sauce, mayonnaise, vinegar and milk portions are to be replaced by large refillable bottles and plastic stirrers are to be replaced by tea spoons.’

Headteacher Steve Summerton felt the response of PGL was a reward for the children’s efforts.

‘I think it is brilliant they got such a response and shows the power of their collective voice. The letters really communicated their passion for this issue,’ he explained. 

Mr Bithell thanked the children for bringing the subject to the company’s attention and being the catalyst for change.

‘Well done to the Year 6 children of Orchard Lea. You have managed to persuade all PGL centres to move away from single use plastics and have had a big impact on plastic pollution in the UK,’ he explained. 

The children’s campaign follows on from The News’s own Final Straw Solent initiative to eradicate plastic waste from our region.