SMALL businesses committed to reducing single-use plastic will be recognised with a plastic pledge certificate.

Worcestershire County Council will recognise businesses who have managed to significantly reduce their plastic use as part of the council's ongoing campaign to waste less.

Cabinet member with responsibility for the environment, councillor Tony Miller, said: "We are committed to reducing single-use plastics here in Worcestershire and this is a great way of recognising both the county as a whole and local residents' awareness of what is fast becoming a really high profile environmental issue."

County council continues to discuss motions in cabinet regarding how Worcestershire can reduce the amount of plastic that is used.

Over the coming months, representatives from Worcestershire County Council will be at a number of events advising residents on how to reduce and recycle their waste and offering alternatives to single use coffee cups and plastic drinks bottles.

As a county, over 5,000 tonnes of plastic bottles and food containers were recycled last year, the equivalent of 37 blue whales.

Businesses are invited to register their interest in joining the plastics pledge by contacting sustainability@worcestershire.gov.uk.