A survey has been launched to find out how residents deal and think about single-use plastic packaging in their daily lives.

Masters student Keir Powell-Lewis, 27, from Manchester, is carrying out research to find out what impact has been made since policy and business practice changes were introduced to reduce single-use plastic waste here in 2018.

This follows the government launching its single-use plastic policy in May last year, the Department of Infrastructure introducing its core waste strategy and the Isle of Man Creamery launching its plant-based cartons.

The survey will help Mr Powell-Lewis, who is studying at the University of Manchester, understand what residents think about the island’s waste management.

It asks 35 questions, including whether residents get doorstep deliveries from the creamery, are interested in the island’s environment and who they believe holds most responsibility in reducing waste: the government; businesses or households.

’I’ve been visiting the island for over seven years because my partner’s family live in the north and it has become a second home for me,’ Mr Powell-Lewis said.

’It fascinates me because it’s similar to where I come from in many ways - a market town just outside York called Malton - but so many aspects are different.

’The project was inspired on a visit across in October last year when I noticed the new creamery packaging and wondered what it meant for recycling and waste on the island.

’Packaging is a part of life and everyone throws things away, so I want to know how everyone is involved - from the top level policy making to the everyday decisions of whether to use the kerbside box, go to the civic amenity site, or just throw it in the bin.’

Studying a masters in environmental governance, his interests are in sustainable development, social justice/inequality, and how society governs itself.

He believes the island is an ’important’ case study for packaging waste because of its ’unique political and geographical position in the world’, its government which shows ’an awareness of the environmental challenges of waste’ and its businesses that consider the environment in their decision-making.

’Being an island means that economies of scale don’t work as well, so I’m interested in how this changes what the government invests in, how businesses decide what packaging to use, and what Isle of Man residents think about these decisions,’ he continued. Despite having no affiliations with the Manx government, creamery or other island institutions relating to his research, Mr Powell-Lewis will share his findings in the autumn ’for them to see what people think of their decisions one year on’.

’I’d like as many responses as possible from all over,’ he added.

Find his survey at: https://bit.ly/2WsW9g7