DP World London Gateway, the deep-sea container port and rail hub located near Basildon, Essex, has established a taskforce of suppliers and local businesses to target the reduction of single-use plastics.
The taskforce was formed to combat waste entering the oceans via rivers. According to figures published by the Ocean Conservancy, almost 80% of waste in the ocean is brought there by rivers.
At a recent meeting of the Oceans Together forum, attended by companies including Eurotunnel, Railscape, Gold Crest Oil and local car dealership Castlepoint Motors, the group discussed how plastics could be eliminated from the respective supply chains.
DP London Gateway has made its own moves to cut plastic waste by stopping use of plastic cups across the company. This will take 48,000 cups per year out of the waste stream.
Elsewhere, Castlepoint Motors has switched from plastic to fabric seat protectors, while Euro Car Parts has started making deliveries using recyclable cardboard boxes.