Protect Kingston Cemetery from Plastic

 


Kingston Cemetery is not only a place of remembrance for loved ones — it’s also a Site of Importance for Nature Conservation, home to birds, bats, hedgehogs, insects, and mature habitats that deserve protection for future generations.


The petition is asking Kingston Council to discuss reducing the use of plastic tributes, artificial flowers, and cellophane wrapping in the cemetery. The QR code will take you there but it requires an account to be opened and some people have had problems with that. The council state that any VPN users will not be able to progress to sign. People who Live, Work and Study are eligible to sign. If you have problems signing I will send you a hard copy.

 

While plastic items are left with good intentions, they often become litter, blow around the grounds, and gradually break down into microplastics. Those tiny plastic particles enter the soil, waterways, and food chain, where they can harm wildlife and remain in the environment for decades. I made this video 5 years ago https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=thbQFTrqoNU


Most plastics are made from fossil fuels, so this is also linked to wider environmental and climate concerns. We’re encouraging more sustainable alternatives — things like real flowers, biodegradable materials, reusable tributes, or living plants that can support pollinators and wildlife instead of polluting the landscape.


This isn’t about stopping people remembering loved ones. It’s about caring for the cemetery itself — keeping it peaceful, beautiful, and ecologically healthy for the people and wildlife who share it now, and for generations to come.”

“Most people leave tributes out of love and respect, and nobody wants to take that away. But without guidance or policy, the amount of plastic entering the cemetery keeps growing year after year. A cemetery is a shared public space and, in Kingston’s case, also an important conservation site. Policies help balance personal remembrance with protecting the environment, wildlife, and the dignity of the space for everyone.


Sometimes taking a more thoughtful approach actually shows greater respect — not only to the people buried there, but also to future generations who will visit the cemetery after us.


 

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