A CAMPAIGN to rid Stroud of plastic bags has been launched by two town councillors amid concerns about their environmental impact.

Councillor Eva Ward and deputy mayor John Marjoram are appealing to supermarkets and local businesses to banish plastic carrier bags from their stores and offer customers paper, bio-degradable or long-life alternatives.

The duo have set up the Stroud Town Opposed to Plastic bags (STOP) initiative in an attempt to raise awareness about the issue and build public support for their fight, which has been backed by the town council.

Cllr Ward, who is spearheading the campaign, said she was inspired to act after watching the critically-acclaimed environmental documentary Trashed.

The film, which is narrated by the Emmy Award-winning Jeremy Irons, explores the global problem of rising waste volumes and considers what might be done to protect the planet and its ecosystems.

“Seeing the film was a real wake-up call,” said Cllr Ward. “I was devastated to see the permanent impact on the food chain and environment through pollution of our air, land and sea by waste.

“It made me realise that waste is not someone else’s problem and action is needed urgently by us all.”

To mark the launch of the STOP initiative, campaigners have organised a free screening of Trashed at the Lansdown Hall in Stroud on September 29 at 7pm.

“Once you see this film it will change the way you look at the world and how we live. It is the reason why I am so passionate about this cause,” Cllr Ward added.

The founding of STOP also follows an announcement by the Government that it will introduce a 5p charge for every plastic bag from 2015 in a bid to discourage their use.

Whilst the move was welcomed by the two town councillors both said more needed to be done sooner.

“We can’t afford to be a throw-away society any longer. We must do something and do it now – not wait until 2015,” said Cllr Marjoram.

Last year, over 17 billion plastic carrier bags were issued by supermarkets in Britain. While they take minutes to use, the bags can take up to 1,000 years to decompose.

As the next step in their campaign, STOP supporters will hold a public meeting on October 7 at 7.30pm in the town council offices in London Road. Anyone is welcome to attend.