Did You Hear About The Big Plastic Count?

The Big Plastic Count was a nationwide science project that recently concluded, aiming to track plastic waste across the UK. This initiative encouraged individuals, families, and schools to log every piece of plastic they threw away for a week. The goal was to get a clearer picture of how much plastic waste is generated and push for significant change in plastic production and disposal.

The results are in, and they are indeed eye-opening. Over 100,000 households took part, logging a staggering 6.4 million pieces of plastic waste in just one week. On average, each household threw away 66 pieces of plastic, with food packaging being the largest contributor. Specifically, 83% of the logged plastic was food and drink packaging, with 59% being single-use plastics.

 
These figures are sobering, underscoring the urgent need for systemic changes in how we produce, use, and dispose of plastic. They highlight the significant impact of plastic waste on our environment and the pressing necessity for both individual and collective action.

 
As part of raising awareness, Lewis shared a video turning an apple into plastic…

Interestingly (and scarily), fruit like apples can be some of the worst offenders when it comes to microplastics found in food… 🍎. Yes, you read that right. Even our fruits aren't spared from the scourge of microplastics, highlighting the pervasive nature of plastic pollution and its far-reaching impacts on our health and environment.
 

For those who participated, thank you for contributing to this vital data collection. Your involvement has helped create a powerful message to policymakers that urgent action is needed to address the plastic crisis. The insights gained from this count are crucial for understanding the scale of plastic pollution and driving policy changes to tackle this issue more effectively.
 

Let’s continue our efforts beyond this week to reduce plastic waste and protect our planet. Spread the word, support initiatives like this, and let's keep making a difference together.

For a detailed breakdown of the results, visit The Big Plastic Count Results.