A motion will be put before a Sutton Council meeting which would aim to launch a crackdown on single-use plastic waste in the borough.

Targets include installing new free water fountains, community water-refill schemes, and urging supermarket chains to introduce a “plastic-free aisle” on a trial basis.

It would also mean reviewing the single-use plastics used by the council itself, as well as all commissioned services, replacing them with “sustainable” or “reusable” alternatives.

The motion was proposed by Cllr Hanna Zuchowska and seconded by Cllr Manuel Abellan.

Sutton Council leader Cllr Ruth Dombey said: "Shocking research shows that in 30 years there could be more plastic in our oceans than fish.

"Four-fifths of the plastic waste ever made is still in the environment now and if we don’t act, the problem will just keep getting worse.

"This isn’t the legacy we want to leave for the next generation."

In the agenda item, released ahead of the full council meeting, it states that 300 million tons of new plastic is made each year, of which roughly half is for single-use.

However, "in many cases", there are practical alternatives that are either reusable or sustainable".

The Ellen MacArthur Foundation charity also estimates there could be more plastic in oceans than fish by the year 2050.

Sutton Council also welcomes the "significant increase" in recycling which was made in the borough last year - rising from 36 percent to 50.

This was put down to a new waste and recycling contract which was introduced by Conservative, Labour, and Liberal Democrat administrations in Kingston, Croydon, Merton, and Sutton.

But it also insists Sutton is now projected to be be one of London's top three boroughs for recycling.

Cllr Dombey added: "The Liberal Democrats are leading by example on plastic waste - Sutton already has some of the best recycling rates in the country, with more of our waste being recycled than going into landfill.

"We can still do so much better though – we’ll soon be bringing a comprehensive plan to the council that should see our own plastic waste cut significantly, and we will be supporting local businesses in cutting down too."

The new motion will be discussed at Sutton Council’s next full council meeting on September 10 at Overton Grange School in Stanley Road.

You can find the agenda item for the motion here.