Greenpeace has announced The Big Plastic Count for 2024, a week-long initiative to combat household plastic waste in the UK.
Taking place from March 11-17, The Big Plastic Count will bring together thousands of schools, businesses, and households across the country in an effort to reduce UK plastic waste.
Building on the success of The Big Plastic Count in 2022, this year’s initiative arrives at a time when the plastic waste landscape is at its peak.
With nations working to align global rules for plastic reduction and phasing out single-use plastics under The Global Plastics Treaty, Greenpeace is aiming to drive government action to accelerate UK plastic waste reduction.
Plastic waste: An urgent global threat
Plastic is everywhere – from packaging our groceries to making clothes we wear. But its convenience comes at a steep environmental cost.
350 million tons of plastic waste are generated globally each year, with only 9% recycled. That’s like dumping 2,000 garbage trucks full of plastic into our oceans, rivers, and landfills every single day!
19-23 million tons of plastic leak into aquatic ecosystems annually, harming marine life and impacting millions of livelihoods, with plastic waste expected to double by 2050 if we don’t act now.
The impact is real. Plastic pollution threatens biodiversity, with countless animals ingesting or getting entangled in it.
Moreover, microplastics, tiny fragments of plastic, are now found in everything from the deepest trenches to the Arctic ice. Their long-term health effects on humans and ecosystems are unknown.
Plastic also breaks down into harmful chemicals that can leach into soil and water, contaminating our food and water supply.
What we learned from 2022
The Big Plastic Count 2022 uncovered concerning statistics about the UK plastic waste landscape, with a lot of plastic either being burned, dumped in other countries, or not recycled at all.
The initiative found that only 12% of UK plastic waste is recycled, with 46% of it being incinerated, releasing harmful emissions, pollutants, and toxins into the environment and exposing those who live nearby.
This year’s scheme aims to urge UK ministers, supermarkets, and big brands to take action in this global fight.
Taking part in The Big Plastic Count 2024
Schools and households can take part by visiting thebigplasticcount.com/sign-up
Upon sign-up, you will receive a free counting pack containing all necessary materials, including a tally sheet for easy tracking, with participants counting the number of plastic items discarded each day.
Once completed, results can be submitted at thebigplasticcount.com/submit
Participants will receive a personalised plastic footprint, with the total results providing evidence for the government to take stronger action.
