Two local district councillors have thrown their support behind a campaign calling for single-use plastic gloves to be phased out at petrol stations, warning that the scale of discarded gloves found in hedgerows and waterways has become “staggering”.
Cllr Tricia Watson and Cllr Gill Thomas, both members of a cross-party county-wide litter working group, are backing efforts by Stroud-based environmental group Litter Free, which has been campaigning on the issue for several years.
Campaigners say the lightweight plastic gloves commonly provided at fuel pumps are frequently blown from bins or dropped, eventually entering drainage systems and local waterways where they contribute to long-term plastic pollution.
Litter Free founder Eric Torrington said the problem had become increasingly visible across the district. Since 2021, he has personally collected around 20,000 discarded gloves during litter picks across Stroud District.
“We have gathered UK-wide evidence to prove that the brief convenience of a plastic glove isn’t worth years of environmental damage,” he said.
The group achieved a local breakthrough last year when Esso removed plastic gloves from its Dudbridge Road petrol station. Mr Torrington believes further progress is possible after learning that gloves have also been removed at Tesco’s Quedgeley forecourt, and is now urging the retailer to adopt a nationwide policy.
Cllr Watson (Green, Chalford) has written to Tesco’s head office in support of the campaign, encouraging the company to extend the change across all its petrol stations.
“Single-use items cause so much litter, and disposable plastic gloves are a visible source of micro-plastic contamination, often ending up in hedgerows, drainage systems and waterways,” she said. “Tesco has apparently already removed gloves at one location and we hope this letter encourages them to make it national policy.”
Cllr Gill Thomas (Green, Minchinhampton) said removing the gloves could have an immediate impact on local cleanliness. “Small, practical changes can make a tangible difference; removing single-use plastic gloves leads to streets being cleaner,” she said. “If we can now get a major retailer like Tesco to lead the way with a nationwide policy, others will follow.”
Mr Torrington described the proposal as a “win-win” for retailers and the environment, suggesting drivers who prefer to use gloves could keep reusable pairs in their vehicles or borrow them from staff where available.
Campaigners argue that reducing the use of single-use plastics at forecourts would help retailers meet sustainability targets while cutting plastic waste in the local environment.