COUNCILLORS have backed a pilot project, which if successful, could be rolled out to every community in the Cowdenbeath-Lochgelly area.

Cowdenbeath Area Committee supported a motion put before last week's committee meeting by Cardenden, Lochgelly and Benarty member, Rosemary Liewald.

The motion to the Committee was: 'Cowdenbeath Area Committee agrees to request that the Executive Director (Enterprise & Environment) consider carrying out a feasibility study which would entail initiating a three month trial involving local retailers in Cardenden who would use compostable carrier bags after which time the results and opinions of those involved could be assessed together with the benefits to the environment. The idea, which would see a reduction in plastic waste which is damaging to the environment, already has the backing of the Co-op in Cardenden, and Councillor Liewald hopes the village’s other retail and takeaway businesses will also get on board'.

Councillor Liewald told the committee: “I know that there is already enthusiastic support for this idea and with the correct input and financial backing this will work.

“Scotland uses 750 million plastic bags per year which are destined for landfill almost as soon as they are created, and add to the 2.8 million tonne mound of plastic waste produced in the UK every year.

"This is something we can change, right now; and previous studies carried out by the Co-op show the introduction of compostable bags reduced the sale of single-use carrier bags by 64 percent".

Ms Liewald said that there were up to a dozen retail outlets in Cardenden, Bowhill, Auchterderran and Dundonald who could get involved.

Already, she added, there were had been support from Purvis and RWE, who operate depots at the Jamphlars, and who would help sponsor the initiative. It had been estimated that 20,000 compostable bags would be needed costing around £700.

The Cardenden based councillor added: "The Co-op in the village have their own compostable bag initiative and they have pledged their support and it is about spreading the word.

"We will need to visit all the retail outlets, which includes takeaways, and encourage their support. If the public get used to using these bags it will cut down the numbers that are sent to landfill, for plastics are the items which are posing the biggest problems at landfill sites.

"These do not quickly degrade and indeed last for years so by using compostable containers for food, or anything really, it will make a difference."

Councillor Alistair Bain said that there was no doubt that plastic containers were a real problem and it was only increasing as everything seemed to be contained in some sort of plastic based bag or box.

His Cowdenbeath counterpart Gary Guichan added: "I know that outwith Fife there are communities who get sponsors for bags which carry logos and that would be something which would be useful if we could achieve that."

Councillor Alex Campbell felt that it might be even better to extend the pilot scheme into Lochgelly as well as it had many more shops than Cardenden.

However, while that was accepted as a good suggestion, it was agreed that Cardenden be the subject of the feasibility study.