Lancaster researchers pledge support to ‘Plastic Free July’ campaign

A team of researchers from Lancaster University are ‘giving up’ plastic throughout July as part of a global movement to combat plastic waste.
By Gayle Rouncivell
Published 9th Jul 2021, 15:30 BST
Updated 9th Jul 2021, 15:35 BST
Researchers Dr Charlotte Hardy (top left), Dr Matteo Saltalippi (bottom left) , Dr Marta Ferri, Dr Savita Verma (top right) and Dr John Hardy (bottom right).Researchers Dr Charlotte Hardy (top left), Dr Matteo Saltalippi (bottom left) , Dr Marta Ferri, Dr Savita Verma (top right) and Dr John Hardy (bottom right).
Researchers Dr Charlotte Hardy (top left), Dr Matteo Saltalippi (bottom left) , Dr Marta Ferri, Dr Savita Verma (top right) and Dr John Hardy (bottom right).

Nine academics and researchers from across the university who are at the early stages of their own research project to understand and help change people’s behaviours when it comes to plastic packaging, are pledging to join hundreds of millions of others in the ‘Plastic Free July’ campaign.

This global campaign aims to challenge individuals to reduce their single-use plastic waste as each small change will collectively result in huge impact across the world.

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The Lancaster team will use the month to challenge their own behaviours and aim to go plastic food packaging free.

Researchers Prof Linda Hendry, Dr Alexandros Skandalis, Prof Maria Piacentini (top right) and Dr Alison Stowell (bottom right).Researchers Prof Linda Hendry, Dr Alexandros Skandalis, Prof Maria Piacentini (top right) and Dr Alison Stowell (bottom right).
Researchers Prof Linda Hendry, Dr Alexandros Skandalis, Prof Maria Piacentini (top right) and Dr Alison Stowell (bottom right).

The team’s personal experience will help deepen their understanding for their own research project, Plastic Packaging in People’s Lives (PPiPL), a three-year study funded by the UK Research and Innovation Council.

The research project kicked off last year and aims to take a hard look at all aspects of the plastic food packaging chain, with the aim of shifting attitudes and behaviours around plastic.

Lancaster University Management School’s Dr Alison Stowell is co-Principal Investigator on the PPiPL project.

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She said: “We are all committing to focus on our food consumption, and avoid all unnecessary single-use plastics such as bags, bottles, straws, utensil and containers.

"As a team we are all profoundly aware of the major global issue that plastic causes, not only as researchers but individuals. We all have a real passion for the cause and see this as an opportunity to share our experiences, insights and challenges with the wider community.”

Prof Maria Piacentini, co-Principal Investigator on the PPiPL project, said: “We are all at different stages in our relationship with plastic packaging, so this is going to be quite a challenge for us.

"We are launching our own ‘plastic packaging free’ blog where we hope to log our weekly experiences in diary entries and would love to hear others’ experiences, hints or tips that can be shared with the team.”

You can keep track of the team’s progress via their dedicated Twitter account (@ppiplproject), where your own hints, tips and experiences can be shared.

Related topics:Lancaster UniversityLancasterLancaster University Management SchoolTwitter

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