A REUSABLE takeaway food container pilot has been launched in Flintshire and Llangollen.

Mold, Caerwys and Llangollen Town Councils, with support from community groups and interested businesses in the area, have been awarded a grant from the Welsh Government Circular Economy Fund for their innovative Naked Takeaway scheme, which will see tiffin tins being used.

The towns are working together to reduce their environmental impact and support a more circular economy, one where items are reused, repaired, swapped and borrowed rather than people buying new each time.

Every day dozens of takeaway meals are produced by cafes, restaurants and takeaways in the three towns, most of which are packed in plastic or cardboard containers.

These containers may only be used once to carry the food home and then they are either thrown away or put into household recycling.

Findings locally suggest that many people want to prevent this unnecessary waste and would prefer reusable alternative solutions.

They are keen to help reduce the negative impact of plastic on our environment and the problems we are causing for future generations.

Outlining the year-long pilot scheme, Andrea Mearns, Mold Town councillor and member of Mold Plastic Reduction steering group, said: "The Naked Takeaway will involve six businesses across the three towns introducing a deposit return scheme for either stainless steel tiffin tins or aluminium pizza box takeaway food containers, both of which can be used time and again.

“As the Circular Economy grant is funding these reusable containers during the trial, it reduces the financial risk for the businesses involved and gives them and their customers the opportunity to try sustainable alternatives to single use packaging.

“When we worked out that potentially 26,000 single use plastic takeaway food containers and 5,200 single use cardboard pizza boxes will not be used over 12 months as a result of the pilot project – we thought we must have got our figures wrong, as the numbers are so incredibly high."

The Leader:

Heather Smith and Tracy Jones proprietors of On the Corner Cafe in Caerwys, said: “Due to Covid-19, takeaway has been the only offer for weeks at a time this year at our cafe.

"We have many loyal customers who come regularly for a takeaway meal.

"We’re keen to be involved in the Naked Takeaway scheme as it’s more important than ever to offer our customers the choice of taking their food home in a sustainable reusable food container."

Steve Copple, Mayor of Caerwys, added: "The Town Council is keen to support Heather and Tracy and any other business in the town which wants to be involved in plastic reduction.

"Starting small in our three communities, the Naked Takeaway scheme will give businesses and consumers the option to make changes that collectively have a big impact."

The Leader:

The Naked Takeaway will initially work with six businesses that provide food eaten at home and will consider during the year-long pilot how to address the single use food containers used ‘on the go’.

The fund aims to drive forward the Welsh Government objective to become a circular economy by taking action to phase out single use plastics, prioritise purchase of sustainable, remanufactured or recycled content materials, and make more efficient use of our food and to become the world leader in recycling.