HUNDREDS of people have pledged to ditch plastic shopping bags in exchange for more sustainable alternatives.

As part of Recycle Now Week, staff from the York and North Yorkshire Waste Partnership descended on the Co-op store in Richmond.

They were there to encourage residents to exchange their plastic bags for reusable ones - and shoppers were able to take away a free cotton bag that can be used time and again.

During the day they spoke to more than 250 people who all pledged to change their shopping habits and produce less waste. It is currently estimated that around 17 million plastic bags are used every year in the UK, and the average time a plastic bag is used is just 12 minutes.

Unwanted plastic bags end up in landfill where they can take up to 500 years to break down.

Partnership chairman Coun Clare Wood said: "With the average adult using around 350 plastic bags a year, it’s encouraging to see that so many residents of Richmond have pledged to use reusable bags.

"If we all make this simple change to our shopping habits we can reduce the amount of waste that is needlessly put into landfill."

The partnership has a number of stockists throughout the county where a reusable bag can be purchased for £1. Full details of stockists can be found on the website www.letstalklessrubbish.com, by emailing wastecampaigns@northyorks.gov.uk or by contacting the waste team on 01609-533312.