By banning plastic bottles from the workplace outright, the UK would save 3.9 billion bottles from being produced by 2020 – a saving of 156,000 tonnes of plastic a year. These are the findings of office provider Desk.co.uk who is spearheading a campaign to have all single use plastic bottles outlawed by 2020.
Jonathan Ratcliffe, spokesman from Desk.co.uk said: “30% of all plastic drinking bottles are used in the workplace, that works out at a staggering 3.9 billion bottles a year in the UK being made for what purpose? What’s wrong with using a glass and a tap, for crying out loud!”
“You have people sitting at work drinking from single use plastic bottles, when a walk to the kitchen to refill a glass would help cut over 156,000 tonnes of plastic from being produced in the first place”.
According to RecycleNow statistics, Britons get through
480 plastic bottles a year per household
35 million plastic bottles per day Nationally
13 billion plastic bottles a year Nationally (2016)
According to Commercial Recycler BusinessWaste.co.uk the biggest saving that can be made in terms of energy is not producing things in the first place, and like the smoking ban, UK lawmakers have to take enforce such a change. It has been revealed that 44% of plastic bottles do not get recycled by households, the fears are that businesses throw even more than that away.
“Recycling plastic is well and good, but if we didn’t make the things in the first place it just wouldn’t be an issue,” says Desk.co.uk ‘s Jonathan Ratcliffe. “There is a huge push by office providers up and down the country to reduce both waste and energy consumption and we need help. We need the Government to step in.”
Recent years have seen a huge increase in the amount of offices using water fountains – but even these aren’t without their environmental impact. Plastic cups, the water fountains and the water bottles themselves are all plastic and cost resources to move around.
The Mayor of London has announced a plan to build a network of water fountains in London in a push to reduce our love of one use plastic bottles.
“We are 100% behind Mayor Khan with his efforts to totally discourage bottles, however his plans simply do not go far enough for us. We’d like to see a policy towards phasing them out altogether,” added Ratcliffe.
Tony from Holborn, comments: “We all recycle our bottles at home, but I’m not so sure at work. I use a water bottle on my desk, and I’ve never thought about the impact much.”
Anne from Newcastle, comments: “I get a plastic bottle with a meal deal every day, it’s just what i’ve always bought out of habit. My sandwich is cheaper because of the drink – what’s my alternative?”
24
0
20
