‘The Big Plastic Count’ – UK’s largest ever plastic waste survey to shed light on broken recycling system

Greenpeace and Everyday Plastic are inviting homes across the UK to take part in The Big Plastic Count to help uncover the truth about what happens to our plastic waste and force the government to fix it

Today (Tuesday, 29th March) registration has opened for The Big Plastic Count – the UK’s largest-ever investigation into household plastic waste – taking place 16-22 May 2022. The survey is supported by naturalist and TV presenter Chris Packham and actor Bonnie Wright.

Photos and videos for The Big Plastic Count are available here
The Big Plastic Count launch video, narrated by actor and comedian Craig Cash is available here

The launch of The Big Plastic Count comes as new polling from YouGov, commissioned by Greenpeace UK, shows how more than four in five people (81%) want the UK Government to introduce targets to reduce plastic waste.

The Big Plastic Count – a collaboration between Greenpeace UK and non-profit organisation Everyday Plastic – encourages individuals, households, schools, community groups and businesses across the UK to count their plastic packaging waste, record the different types they throw away and enter their results into the campaign website.

The data each participant generates will contribute to an overall national picture, filling a crucial evidence gap on exactly how much plastic packaging waste is leaving UK homes. The results will demonstrate the scale of the plastic waste problem and pressure the government and supermarkets to tackle the root cause of the plastic crisis.

Everyday Plastic founder, Daniel Webb, collected every piece of his plastic waste for a year. With a scientific researcher, he developed a unique methodology to calculate his personal plastic footprint. Now, The Big Plastic Count offers the public the same chance to discover what happens to their plastic waste once they throw it away.

Everyday Plastic founder and director, Daniel Webb, said: “Having counted my plastic waste for an entire year, I know exactly how powerful this investigation can be in helping to understand the true extent of the plastic problem. The Big Plastic Count is a simple yet impactful way to discover your household plastic footprint, whilst contributing vital evidence to push the government for long overdue change.”

The unique methodology [1] provides participants with their plastic footprint – an in-depth insight into what they’re throwing away and what happens to it – and tells them how much of their plastic waste will be recycled, landfilled, incinerated or exported.

Greenpeace UK highlighted the plastic waste exports crisis last year with its viral animation Wasteminster [2] – viewed over 10 million times – which depicted 1.8 million kilograms of plastic waste being dumped on Downing Street – the same amount that is exported from the UK each day.

The UK produces more plastic waste per person than almost any other country in the world – second only to the USA [3]. In 2018, the UK generated 5.2 million tonnes, enough to fill Wembley Stadium six times over [4].

While this is a massive problem in and of itself, the vast majority of households do their best to make sure it’s recycled. The YouGov survey shows how almost four in five (77%) people in the UK recycle plastic products in order to reduce plastic waste. However, three in four (75%) don’t know what happens to their plastic recycling after disposing of it.

Greenpeace UK’s plastics campaigner, Maja Darlington, said: “The plastic crisis is out of control. And the only system that people have to combat it – recycling – is broken. The vast majority of us try to play our part in tackling the plague of plastic waste but without government policies that actually reduce packaging and improve recycling – rather than burning, burying or bundling it off to pollute other countries – we’ll continue to fight a losing battle. It’s simply not good enough. That’s why The Big Plastic Count is so important. So join The Count and let’s push the government to take ambitious action on plastic.”

The Big Plastic Count will uncover the truth about how much plastic packaging waste households throw away and how much of it is really recycled – new evidence that will be vital for pressuring the government and supermarkets to tackle the root cause of the plastic crisis

The campaign is supported by actor Bonnie Wright, as well as naturalist and television presenter, Chris Packham, who said: “It’s ridiculous that we’re still swamped with plastic waste when it makes so many of us furious. The natural world can’t cope. We need to find out what’s really happening to plastic that’s supposedly recycled. I’ll be joining The Big Plastic Count and I’d urge you to do it too.”

Greenpeace UK and Everyday Plastic will use the results of The Big Plastic Count to push the UK government to introduce stricter policies to reduce plastic waste. These include setting a target to reduce the UK’s single-use plastic by 50% by 2025, banning all plastic waste exports and implementing an all-in Deposit Return Scheme (DRS) for recycling and reuse.