The UK's biggest ever count of plastics

This week, people across the UK will count up how much plastic they use. 151,000 homes, MPs and classrooms will share the amount they have used from between the 16th and 22nd May. The data will provide an insight into the amount of plastic people in the UK use. The UK is the second largest user of plastic, just behind the USA.

The use of plastics is a major concern as it is the most environmentally damaging material. In order to make new plastics, a large amount of energy is required which is sourced from fossil fuels. Whilst plastic can be recycled, it is only of a good quality when recycled two or three times as it will break down, so even recycling the material is not sustainable long-term.

Plastic recycling is also controversial, with evidence that some plastics are going into landfill or being incinerated. Evidence in a 2020 report showed that a large amount of UK plastic waste is being sent abroad to be placed in landfill. Many plastic products can also not be recycled so even when recycling is the focus, large volumes of this waste is still making its way into landfill and breaking down into microplastics.

Hopefully, the count this week will provide a real incentive for wholesalers to think about their packaging and look for viable alternatives going forward.

For more on this article, check out the BBC article.