Despite our attempts to reduce, reuse and recycle, we seem no further forward with the worldwide problem of plastic. The big plastic count is the UK’s biggest investigation into plastic waste and will pressure governments and supermarkets into making real changes.
Take action now!
The Problem
We all know plastic waste is one of the biggest challenges facing our planet today. Every day we see litter on our streets, in our green spaces and floating in our seas. It looks terrible, but more than that, it is dangerous to wildlife, and you can find out why in our blog, 5 ways litter harms animals.
The Big Plastic Count
The Big Plastic Count hopes to highlight the biggest issues with single-use plastics in the country today. It aims to show what people are using and, more importantly, throwing away in the hope of driving change. It may show where reusable products fall short and encourage development, push supermarkets to do better with their packaging, or it could indicate issues with education and pave the way for new Government initiatives. Who knows!
How To Take Part
Taking part in The Big Plastic Count is easy! Sign up online to receive a free digital or postal information pack, then count all the plastic waste your household throws away for a week (16th May to 22nd May 2022). Submit your results online, and not only will you receive a personal plastic footprint, but your results will be part of a national picture. Schools and community groups can also sign up to take part as a collective.
Remember that the intention of The Big Plastic Count is not to make people feel guilty about the amount of plastic that they use! In many instances, there are currently no alternatives to single-use plastic offered, and this is something we need to change going forward. Enter your results honestly and continue to recycle as much packaging as possible. Every little helps!
Going Forward
If you live outside the UK and can’t participate in the official Big Plastic Count, you can still help. Why not start your own version with family, friends and schools? By identifying the types of packaging you use most frequently, you can look at alternatives or even lobby councils, governments and supermarkets to make changes in your area.
The Big Plastic Count wants the government to commit to reducing our single waste plastic by 50% by 2025, ban the offloading of plastic waste to other countries and introduce a Deposit Return Scheme. Watch this space!