Kingston Council rejects push to enforce plastic ban at cemetery

Summarised from MyLondon's report · Updated 16 Oct, 14:50 · Archive

Kingston Council has rejected calls to enforce its existing ban on plastic decorations at the local cemetery, despite a petition signed by over 1,200 people.

Kingston Council has rejected calls to enforce its ban on plastic decorative items at Kingston Cemetery, despite a petition signed by more than 1,200 people. Ecologist Alison Fure asked the council to better enforce the prohibition on plastic ornaments, artificial flowers, pots, windmills and cellophane wrappers, which she said increasingly covered the cemetery and created an environmental problem.

Fure told the council that while the cemetery should be a place of natural peace and reflection, plastic items often became litter that spread across the grounds and gradually broke down into microplastics that polluted the neighbouring Hogsmill River. She said she had spent hours removing plastic from the cemetery.

A council report responding to the petition said the authority would prioritise a "hearts and minds" educational campaign rather than formal enforcement. It said this would include new signs and QR codes to encourage visitors to stick to the rules. Staff would continue to remove plastic wrappers from flowers during routine maintenance and carry out litter picks twice a week.

Read the report

• Kingston won't enforce ban on plastic decorations at cemetery to protect environmentA petition with the demand was signed by more than 1,200 people and a motion was tabled at a Kingston Council meetingMyLondon · 16 Oct, 13:51

In this story: Kingston Council · Alison Fure · Kingston Cemetery · Hogsmill River

This summary was written by AI from the headlines and standfirsts above, and states as fact only what at least two outlets report. How we use AI · Report a problem