DORCHESTER has joined a network of communities across the UK that are leading the way to tackle the plastic problem at its source.

The town has been awarded Plastic Free Community Approved status by marine conservation charity Surfer's Against Sewage (SAS), in recognition of the work it has done to start reducing the impact of single-use plastic on the environment.

Plastic Free Dorchester Damers Eco Crew started the campaign last year after Damers First School achieved SAS Plastic Free Schools status but the children wanted to keep going to make the whole town plastic-free.

Edd Moore, Eco-Coordinator at Damers said the campaign has galvanised the community, bringing together many different organisations to remove single-use plastics within their business and to find alternatives.

He said: "It's a fantastic achievement for the town. The campaign has been led by the children who want to make the town and the world a better place for the future.

"They've brought together the whole town to work towards the approved status and to lead it going forward."

Local businesses have tackled eliminating single-use plastics in a number of ways. This includes replacing plastic bags with paper ones, using wooden hangers, offering toiletries in tins or paper packaging, supplying loose tea instead of tea bags, supplying reusable water bottles and stressing the importance of putting pressure on their suppliers to make the necessary switch away from plastic.

Rachel Yates, SAS Plastic Free Communities Project Officer, said: "It's great to see the work that Dorchester has done to reduce the availability of avoidable plastics, raise awareness and encourage people to refill and reuse.

"We have over 550 communities across the UK working to reduce single-use plastic and the impact it has on our environment.

"Every step those communities and the individuals in them take is a step towards tackling the problem at source, challenging our throwaway culture and encouraging the habit and system changes we need to see."

Damers Eco Crew has future plans to work with more businesses and also wants to launch a repair café in Dorchester later this year.

Dorset Council also wants to make the Eco Crew part of its climate change panel as they undertake a single-use plastic audit at council.