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UK Drowning in Plastic Packaging: 1.6 Billion Pieces Weekly!
22 Apr
Summary
- UK households discard 1.6 billion plastic packaging pieces weekly.
- Food and drink packaging, especially fruit and vegetables, is 82% of waste.
- Major supermarkets Tesco and Sainsbury's account for 46% of fruit/veg packaging.
A recent comprehensive survey, The Big Plastic Count, revealed that UK households are discarding an estimated 1.6 billion pieces of plastic packaging every week. This staggering figure equates to approximately 82 billion pieces annually, highlighting a significant national crisis in plastic waste. The findings, based on data from over 68,000 participants between March 9 and 15, indicate that plastic production is outpacing recycling capabilities.
Packaging from food and drink constitutes a substantial 82% of the total plastic waste recorded. Fruit and vegetable packaging alone accounts for an estimated 13 billion pieces discarded each year, with Tesco and Sainsbury's together responsible for 46% of this specific packaging waste. Much of this packaging is soft film plastic, which is difficult to recycle in the UK and often incinerated, contributing to air pollution and climate change.
Environmental advocates are calling for urgent government action, including ending the export of plastic waste and setting a deadline to remove plastic packaging from uncut fruit and vegetables. The campaign emphasizes that reducing plastic production is crucial to tackling the escalating waste problem. Future surveys are planned to continue monitoring this critical issue.
