Bin bags made from potato peels are to be piloted in Wembley in an initiative believed to be the first of its kind in the UK.

Brent & Kilburn Times: Plastic-free bin bags made from potato peel launched in Wembley. Picture: Justin ThomasPlastic-free bin bags made from potato peel launched in Wembley. Picture: Justin Thomas (Image: © 2019 Justin Thomas)

Some 20,000 biodegradable bags, made of leftover potato peels and corn, are to line Wembley's litter bins in a bid to cut down plastic waste.

The two-month trial, part of the #PlasticFreeWembley campaign, is spearheaded by Brent Council and Veolia and will save 120kilos of plastic going to landfill.

In Your Face Advertising produces the planet-saving bags by extracting polylactic acid from potato peels and corn to create strong and durable products.

The potato bags also use 72 percent less carbon than plastic equivalents.

Arthur Chirkinian, founder and chief exec of In Your Face Advertising, said: "There's a great deal of momentum behind green issues and we're thrilled to be helping areas like Wembley to harness their ambition to go plastic free.

"We hope other local authorities will be inspired by this trial - the first of its kind in the UK - to think about what they can do to improve their environmental footprint."

The #PlasticFreeWembley campaign was set up last year encouraging business to swap single-use plastic items - like cups and cutlery - for more environmentally friendly alternatives. To date, the campaign has saved around 150 tonnes of plastic.

Cllr Krupa Sheth, Lead Member for Environment at Brent Council, said: " This initiative demonstrates how small changes can create a big impact - 120 kilos of plastic saved by turning old potato peels into bags, and that's just in one small area! I hope this encourages other councils to seek out green solutions."

Gisela Endres, Veolia's street cleansing contract manager in Brent, said: "Our teams work really hard to keep the streets of Wembley clean, and innovative trials, whether they be plastic-free litter bags or clean vehicle technologies, ensure we lead the way for delivering a more sustainable city.

"It's important to cut down on single-use plastic and to source environmentally friendly alternatives, however not all plastic is avoidable and when we do need to use it, where it is recyclable, we must do our bit for the environment and ensure it ends up in the recycling bin."