Health

Senedd calls for plastic-wrapped veg ban amid health fears

Published

4 months ago

November 7, 2025

ALARMING health warnings that microplastics are being found in human brains, blood and breastmilk sparked calls for a ban on single-use plastic on fresh fruit and vegetables.

Rhys ab Owen, who sits as an independent, brought forward a cross-party proposal to ban the use of “unnecessary” single-use plastic packaging for fruit and veg.

He told the Senedd: “Plastic packaging makes no difference whatsoever to the shelf life of over 20 fruits and vegetables… Simply put, plastic packaging, very often, is entirely wasteful, unnecessary and purposeless. We don’t need that packaging at all.”

Raising a 61% increase in food banks in Wales, Mr ab Owen pointed to research showing plastic packaging contributes to £2.1bn-worth of food waste in the UK every year.

Calling for fruit and veg to be sold in paper bags, he said food is becoming unaffordable for many and being able to buy smaller, rather than predetermined, amounts could help.

Mr ab Owen also warned of serious health risks, telling Senedd Members: “When plastic breaks down into microplastics, it’s then absorbed into the human body and has now been found in all organs of the body, including our brains.”

He pointed to a study last year by the New England Journal of Medicine which identified increased risks of heart attack, stroke or death when micro or nano plastics were found.

The former barrister warned: “Despite this, the use of plastic continues to grow and has grown dramatically over the past few decades.”

Labour’s Jenny Rathbone raised a Cardiff University study at the Dŵr Cymru treatment plant in Newport which found significant levels of plastics in wastewater. She said treated water is spread on agricultural land, bringing plastics back into the whole food production system.

Ms Rathbone recommended not to drink water from plastic bottles, saying it can add around six times more microplastics into your system compared with tap water.

Janet Finch-Saunders, the Conservatives’ shadow environment secretary, said she had “no hesitation whatsoever” when Mr ab Owen asked for her party’s support.

She told the Senedd: “We cannot forget that microplastic pollution has been detected in human blood, with scientists finding the tiny particles in almost 80% of people tested.

“The more we can do to reduce this unnecessary plastic use the better. A ban on the use of single-use plastic… for fruits and vegetables would be a step in the right direction.”

Labour’s Carolyn Thomas raised evidence from the Wrap Cymru charity which shows only 19% of fresh produce is sold loose compared with 50% in mainland Europe.

She said: “France has already gone further, passing legislation to ban plastic packaging on fresh produce altogether. If France can do it, why not Wales?”

Delyth Jewell, Plaid Cymru’s shadow environment secretary, described the proposed ban as a “no-brainer” and something young people feel passionately about.

South Wales East's Plaid Cymru MS Delyth Jewell — South Wales East’s Plaid Cymru MS Delyth Jewell

“This is something that we have to guard against for their sake,” she said. “It’s something very young children feel passionately about as well because of how quite viscerally frightening it will be for them. It is so important that we change this.”

Huw Irranca-Davies, Wales’ Deputy First Minister, pointed to the Environmental Protection Act 2023, which has restricted often-littered products such as straws, cutlery and cotton buds.

But Mr Irranca-Davies cautioned of potential unintended consequences of extending restrictions to single-use packaging for fruit and veg.

Deputy First Minister Huw Irranca-Davies

“There is a ‘however’ in this,” he said. “There are several important aspects that we need to explore further before we consider bringing forward legislation.”

Mr ab Owen responded: “I’m very used to the Deputy First Minister’s – and other Welsh ministers’ – ‘howevers’. I’m used to, ‘Oh, I agree with the sentiment, however, we need to check this. We need to do other research, another commission’, or whatever…

“I think we need bolder governance here in Wales, where people are willing to make decisions, where they don’t wait and wait and wait until they know 100% that this is the right thing. Sometimes, we just need to get on and do it.”

Health

Welsh Ambulance Service to host bi-monthly Board meeting

Published

3 days ago

March 13, 2026

Tom Sinclair

THE WELSH AMBULANCE SERVICE is preparing to host its bi-monthly Board meeting – and the public are invited.

Join the meeting on Thursday 26 March via Microsoft Teams to hear senior leaders cover a full agenda, including approval of the Integrated Medium-Term Plan for 2026-29, which outlines what the organisation will prioritise and deliver, how it will use its resources and how it will continue to improve care for the people of Wales over the next three years.

Board members will approve the initial revenue budget for the year ahead and receive an update on current financial performance.

The Board will also hear from Mr Clarke from Cwmbran, who describes an experience of trying to access help via 999 for his late father who was terminally ill.

There will also be an opportunity to pose a question to the Board.

Chair Colin Dennis said: “Board meetings give you the opportunity to really get to know our ambulance service, with a clear view of how important decisions are shaped and the processes behind them.

“They also create a forum to hear directly about ongoing work, explore how we can strengthen support for the Trust’s staff and patients, and connect with the people responsible for shaping those decisions.”

Click here to watch the Board meeting on Thursday 26 March 2026 from 9.30am.

This link will be active from 10 minutes before the meeting starts.

To pre-submit a question, please email [email protected] by no later than Wednesday 25 March 2026.An agenda will be available on the Trust’s website in the days prior to the meeting.

Health

Pharmacies carry out record number of consultations for common health issues

Published

3 days ago

March 13, 2026

Tom Sinclair

PHARMACIES across Wales carried out more than 600,000 clinical consultations for a wide range of common health issues over the last twelve months, according to the latest community pharmacy services statistics.

Almost 346,000 people used the Common Ailments Service, which offers free advice and treatment for twenty-seven common conditions and is available in ninety-nine per cent of pharmacies across Wales.

Figures covering April 2024 to March 2025 show that more than 462,000 Common Ailments Service consultations took place during the period – the highest number ever recorded.

The most frequent reasons people sought help from their local pharmacy included sore throats, hay fever, conjunctivitis and dermatitis.

Pharmacies also carried out more than 53,000 consultations specifically for sore throat treatment, around 33,000 consultations for contraception advice and treatment, and over 121,000 consultations to provide emergency supplies of medicines.

During those emergency consultations pharmacists issued more than 189,000 prescription-only medicines to patients who had run out of medication and were unable to obtain a new prescription in time.

In addition to these consultations, pharmacies across Wales dispensed more than eighty million prescription items over the same twelve-month period.

The Common Ailments Service allows people to receive treatment closer to home while helping free up GP appointments for patients with more complex or urgent medical needs.

Health Secretary Jeremy Miles said: “Community pharmacies play a vital role in providing healthcare across Wales.

“Nearly half a million consultations in a single year shows just how much people value being able to walk into their local pharmacy and get the help they need quickly, without having to wait for a GP appointment.

“We are working to ensure more people can receive convenient care closer to home, and expanding access to these services is a key part of that.

“The right care, in the right place, at the right time — that is what people in Wales want, and what our pharmacies are delivering.”

Community

Lessons from COVID-19 highlight need to strengthen voluntary sector resilience

Published

3 days ago

March 13, 2026

Tom Sinclair

A NEW report has urged the Welsh Government to work more closely with voluntary organisations to ensure communities are better prepared for future emergencies.

The call comes from the Senedd’s Public Accounts and Public Administration Committee, which examined how lessons from the COVID-19 pandemic have shaped Wales’ current emergency planning.

The report highlights the crucial role played by voluntary groups during the pandemic, particularly in supporting vulnerable people and responding quickly to rising community needs.

Clair Swales, Chief Executive of the Powys Association of Voluntary Organisations (PAVO), welcomed the committee’s findings and its recommendation that government bodies strengthen collaboration with the voluntary sector and commissioning organisations.

The recommendation includes making greater use of long-term funding arrangements to support infrastructure investment and improve the sector’s ability to respond to sudden surges in demand during emergencies.

Giving evidence to the committee last November, Swales warned that continued financial pressures across the sector could weaken its ability to respond effectively in future crises.

She said: “If I was asked to bring the third sector together to respond to an emergency at this moment, I could. However, future involvement may become more challenging as the sector continues to face significant financial and capacity pressures.”

The committee’s report, published on Tuesday (Mar 11), explored how the Welsh Government and public bodies responded to the pandemic and what improvements have been made since.

It also considered findings from Module 1 of the UK COVID-19 Inquiry, which examined resilience and preparedness across the UK.

Swales said the report recognises that the work carried out by voluntary organisations during the pandemic came at a significant cost to the sector.

She added: “Evidence from a number of voluntary organisations shows the sector is facing considerable funding and resource challenges.

“We will continue to work with commissioners and the Powys third sector to maximise opportunities, represent the sector’s voice in policy and investment discussions, and ensure rural communities are considered when funding and commissioning services.”