Damian Hinds wants schools to stop using things such as plastic bags, straws, bottles and food packaging and find sustainable alternatives.
He also wants to see schools bringing their students into these conversations, educating them about the effects that discarded plastic is having on the environment and wildlife.
Last month, the Department for Education (DfE) praised the work of Georgeham Primary School in Devon, which has become the first UK school to achieve “single use plastic free status”.
The school was given the award by Surfers against Sewage, a marine conservation charity, after meeting five key targets, including an initial plastic audit of the school.
Changes the school has made include moving to washable beakers, getting rid of plastic from the school’s supply chain, and replacing other single-use plastics with plastic that can be easily recycled.
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