20181024_R4

Source: BBC Radio 4: Today

URL: N/A

Date: 24/10/2018

Event: Guy Singh-Watson: "Plastic is not in itself an evil material"

Credit: BBC Radio 4

People:

• Tom Heap: BBC journalist and presenter
• Neil Sleet: BBC newsreader
• Guy Singh-Watson: Founder, Riverford Organic Farmers

Neil Sleet: The founder of Britain's biggest organic vegetable supplier, Riverford, has told the BBC that what he calls "anti-plastic religious fervour" is a dangerous distraction from the fight against climate change. Guy Singh-Watson fears that too much effort is going into reducing plastic use rather than cutting carbon. Tom Heap reports.

Tom Heap: This year has seen rising public concern over plastic pollution, as research reveals worldwide contamination and television programmes such as Blue Planet II show it harming sea life. But plastic does have environmental upsides. It's light, often lower carbon than a paper or metal substitute and it can help reduce food waste. Guy Singh-Watson of Riverford Organic Farmers is not alone in thinking simply demonising plastic could do more harm than good.

Guy Singh-Watson: Plastic is not in itself an evil material - it's the fact that we use so much of it... The biggest environmental challenge facing our planet is climate change and I think anything that distracts attention from that is potentially dangerous.

Tom Heap: Riverford have cut plastic usage and aim to reduce it further, but insist it's still the best way of protecting some vegetables in transit.