Tag: waste

Waste not, want not: Two thirds of households buy too much food for Christmas

Admiral teams up with professional home economist to help people plan the perfect Christmas dinner –

  • More than one in 10 (12%) only keep Christmas leftovers for one day
  • One in 20 throw away excess food rather than turning it into other meals at Christmas
  • 12% of Brits splashed out more than £100 per person for Christmas dinner last year
  • One in five have first alcoholic drink before 11am on Christmas Day
  • 53% of claims involving food and drink in December relate to red wine spillages

A new investigation by Admiral home insurance has revealed that two thirds (65%) of households in the UK end up with more food than they need at Christmas, and one in 20 people throw excess ingredients in the bin, rather than turning them into other meals. 

Admiral has worked with a professional home economist to create an online tool and help families plan ahead to make the perfect Christmas dinner, prevent overbuying, save money, and avoid unnecessary food waste this Christmas.

The tool helps people work out how much of each key ingredient they’ll need to cook the perfect Christmas dinner for their guests, and guides them on how many sweet treats and desserts to buy to make sure they’re properly stocked up for guests this festive season.  

The investigation found that two fifths of Brits (42%) buy their ingredients for Christmas dinner a week before the big day. But while some are more organised, buying at the start of December (25%) or two weeks before Christmas Day (25%),  others are less organised, opting to buy their food on 23rd December (17%) and even as last-minute as Christmas Eve (5%).

With many people yet to buy their ingredients, Admiral is encouraging people to plan ahead to make their Christmas feasts memorable for all the right reasons this year.

Stocking up for Christmas

The study found that some people are storing traditional Christmas foods in the wrong places, meaning food could potentially be going to waste.

To help make people’s Christmas go without a hitch, professional home economist, Becky Wilkinson, has shared her tips with Admiral on where ingredients should be stored. 

One in ten (11%) believe that a Christmas pudding should be kept in the fridge, but Becky says that is not necessarily the right thing to do. “Where you store Christmas pudding or Christmas cake is often dependent on the recipe followed, but, as a rule, this should never be kept in the fridge.”

And with many a sweet tooth being catered to over the festive period, making sure the chocolates are in top condition for guests will be high on the priority list. Almost a quarter (23%) of people believe chocolate should be kept in the fridge, but Becky warns this can have an impact on the taste: “If you must store chocolate in the fridge, it should be sealed in an airtight container because the fat content in chocolate causes it to take on other flavours if not sealed properly.”

Before filling your fridge and stocking up, Becky recommends carrying out the four following checks to ensure your food is perfect for Christmas :

  1. Make sure your fridge and freezer are running at the correct temperature before filling with Christmas treats. The recommended temperature is 5°C or below for the fridge and -18°C or below for the freezer. Fridge freezer thermometers are cheap and a very helpful tool to have if you don’t already!
  2. Before the Christmas buying starts, check that all the items in your fridge and freezer are in date, remove any that are not. Overfilling your fridge and freezer will make it difficult for them to stay at the correct temperature
  3. It’s important to store meat safely to stop bacteria from spreading and to avoid food poisoning. You should store raw meat and poultry in clean, sealed containers on the bottom shelf of the fridge, so they can not touch or drip onto other foods
  4. Check your oven is working and has had a service if required. Also, give it a good clean to ensure for more accurate cooking times and optimum hygiene

What to do with leftovers

For those who do keep their Christmas dinner leftovers and excess ingredients, more than one in ten (12%) only keep it for one day, which means lots of leftover Christmas food gets wasted unnecessarily each year.

To avoid unwanted food waste, Becky Wilkinson has shared some simple top tips with Admiral on what to do with leftover Christmas ingredients:

  • Roast potatoes and Brussel sprouts: Break up the cold potatoes and mash together with the Brussel sprouts, place into a pan and fry. Add any leftover herbs or chestnuts to make extra tasty bubble and squeak.
  • Carrots: Heat the ready roasted sliced carrots in a pan and add caraway seeds and vegetable stock. Blend together to make a warming soup.
  • Pigs in blankets: Make your own mini toad in the hole’s by using an oiled muffin tin to heat the sausages and then pour over Yorkshire pudding batter. Bake until well risen.
  • Ham, turkey and gravy: Mix together, place into a pie dish and top with ready rolled puff pastry for a quick and effortless pie.
  • Turkey: For an oriental take on leftovers, try a turkey ramen or turkey stir fry.
  • Christmas pudding: Break up the Christmas pudding and mix with a drizzle of festive liquor, spread the mixture over some ready rolled puff pastry and roll up into a large swirl. Slice into 2cm rounds and place into a lined spring form cake tin. Glaze with egg and bake until pastry is cooked through for a festive Chelsea bun.

Cost of Christmas this year

Last Christmas, more than one in ten households (12%) splashed out over £100 for each person joining them for the festive feast. On average, homeowners spent £41.30 per person to feed their dinner guests in 2019.

Meanwhile, 22% of people said they are planning to spend even more money on food this Christmas.

With many restrictions still in place across the UK,17% of households said they would be spending less because they weren’t expecting as many guests around their Christmas table this year, and 12% want to cut down because they either ate too much or bought too much food last year.

However, younger households are looking to splurge this year, as 30% of those aged between 18 and 34 are planning to spend more on their dinner in a bid to treat themselves and their family this Christmas, in comparison to just 7% of people aged over 65.

Kitchen chaos at Christmas

In a bid to help make sure Christmas goes without a hitch this year, Admiral is urging people to watch out for some common culinary mishaps as these can be costly.

Analysis of Admiral claims data, relating to damage involving fridge freezers over the last five years, reveals that 7% happened during the month of December alone, with the average cost of each claim coming in at around £7001.

According to Admiral data, the most common causes of fridge or freezer failures in December were where the fridge freezer has broken and stopped working by itself (30%), or power cuts and power surges (23%) that either damaged the fridge freezer wiring or the prolonged loss of power caused the food to defrost.

‘tis the season to be Merry

Admiral found that one in five (20%) adults like to crack open the bubbly before 11.00am on Christmas day, and just less than one in ten (9%) open the alcohol before 10.00am.

Accidents can and do happen, and analysis of Admiral claims data relating to wine, gravy and sauce in the months of December found that 53% of claims, related to red wine being spilt on sofas, carpet, soft furnishings and even on laptops. To avoid any accidents spoiling the Christmas spirit, Admiral suggests standing glasses and bottles on a table and well away from small hands and pets if you can

David Fowkes, Head of Household Underwriting at Admiral, said: “Christmas is always a special period but this year will be even more important to households who, after a tough year, are looking to make the best of it with their close friends or family.

“Our study shows that people can easily go overboard and buy too much food for their Christmas dinner, leading to unnecessary food waste and people are also spending more money than they need to. As food plays such a big part of the festivities for many people, we want to help make sure the day goes as smoothly as possible – regardless of how many people you have around the dinner table. 

“Unfortunately, not only are leftover ingredients being thrown away, but just a small percentage of people are giving excess food to food banks who would welcome the donations.

“We’d recommend carrying out a few simple checks around the kitchen a few weeks before Christmas. At Admiral we’ve seen examples where fridge freezers and cookers have been damaged in the build up  to Christmas – some even on the big day itself – causing havoc and unnecessary stress for many households.

“Make sure you don’t over stock your fridge freezer so it keeps all of your Christmas food chilled at the perfect temperature, and it doesn’t spoil the festivities.”

Zero Waste Scotland urges: Keep the festive joy and trim the waste

88% of Edinburgh residents agree we all have a ‘responsibility to cut down on waste at Christmas’ 

A survey for Zero Waste Scotland has revealed that more than four out of five people in Edinburgh and Lothian (88%) agree we all have a responsibility to cut down on waste over Christmas. 

The poll, carried out by Survation¹, also found 68% of respondents in the region plan on minimising their waste in comparison with other years, while nearly three in five (59%) were concerned about the environmental impacts of buying new items over the festive period. 

With Christmas so often associated with excess and many preparing for an unusual festive period filled with firsts, Zero Waste Scotland has launched its #ChristmasTrimmings campaign to help Scots with practical ideas and tips on small changes to cut their carbon footprint and have a more sustainable season.  

Asking for a second-hand gift is just one of the ways Scots could turn the tables on a wasteful Christmas and keep the joy of the festive season. 

In answer to the question, ‘Would you consider buying a second-hand gift for a friend or family member this year?’, 38% of Lothian residents surveyed said ‘Yes’, with 47% answering ‘No’. Previous research has indicated four fifths of Scots would be happy to receive a pre-loved gift², so the opportunity is there to ask for second-hand. 

Jenny Fraser, consumer campaigns manager at Zero Waste Scotland, said: “There are many small steps we can take in the festive period that can cut down on waste and carbon emissions. It is wonderful that such a high percentage of people agree that we need to cut down on waste and that many recognise the environmental implication of buying new.  

“Four fifths of our carbon emissions as a country are linked to the products we consume, through the production, manufacture and transport of materials. We need to reduce this significantly if we are going to address the climate crisis. 

“Buying second hand avoids the emissions associated in creating the equivalent items as new. Whilst almost half of people in Scotland say they wouldn’t consider purchasing a pre-loved gift, there are very good environmental reasons for doing so and previous research shows four out of five Scots would be happy to receive such a gift.”  

Our top #ChristmasTrimmings tips: 

Ask for a second-hand gift 

Research from Zero Waste Scotland shows most Scots would be happy to receive a pre-loved gift – but many would be unlikely to buy one for someone else². Why not turn that around this year by asking gift-givers (and Santa) to shop second-hand – either in person where Scottish Government coronavirus guidance allows or on online auction sites likes Gumtree and eBay?  

Give a gift that keeps on giving 

Subscriptions, donations and sponsorship are a great way to share the love without the ‘stuff’ – and support a good cause. Why not invest in a streaming platform like Netflix for the movie buff in your life, subscribe to a comic or magazine, sponsor an animal, or donate to a charity close to a loved one’s heart? 

Make your own wrapping paper 

With Scots using upwards of 19,000 miles of wrapping paper in previous years, a DIY effort could be a fun way to cut your carbon footprint down to size. Why not use kids’ drawings to wrap gifts, or if you have received a delivery recently jazz up the brown paper it was stuffed with? Just remember to avoid glitter and foil as paper mixed with these can’t be recycled.  

Have a ‘Christmas dinner conference’ 

We all know how hard it can be to please everyone, so with smaller gatherings this year it’s the perfect time to get everyone involved in planning the Christmas shopping list. Whether you’re hosting an extended household (following Scottish Government coronavirus guidance) or just the immediate family, why not start a conversation about what you’ll eat come Christmas? Planning ahead will help you buy only what you need and stop good food going to waste. 

Zero Waste Scotland is encouraging Scots to start a new, sustainable Christmas tradition that keeps the joy of Christmas without the waste, and to share it on social media using the hashtag #ChristmasTrimmings. 

For more information or suggestions on ways to reduce your waste visit zws.scot/christmastrimmings 

Recycling: ‘a real Scottish success story’

  • Carbon impact of waste down 1.1 million tonnes of CO2 equivalent from 2011
  • Less than 1 million tonnes of household waste sent to landfill for the first time
  • Plastic and glass recycling increase, paper and cardboard continues downward trend
  • Total household recycling rate 44.9%
  • Scottish households generated the equivalent of 0.44 tonnes of waste per person in 2019

Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA) statisticians have published Official Statistics today (27 October 2020) which provide detail of Household Waste collected across all Local Authorities during 2019.

Scottish households generated the equivalent of 0.44 tonnes of waste per person in 2019, with 0.20 tonnes recycled, 0.14 tonnes sent to landfill and 0.11 tonnes diverted through other means such as incineration, composing and anaerobic digestion.

The total volume of household waste generated in Scotland remained largely the same as 2018, up 17,000 tonnes (an increase of 1%) from 2.41 million tonnes in 2018 to 2.42 million.

CARBON IMPACT OF SCOTTISH HOUSEHOLD WASTE CONTINUES TO DECREASE

The Scottish carbon metric measures the whole-life impact of resources. A measure of national performance, the metric takes a holistic view, from resource extraction and manufacturing emissions, through to resource management emissions.

Measuring the true impact of waste and waste management is most accurate when viewed in terms of emissions. This is measured in carbon dioxide equivalent (CO2e). This provides a more accurate picture than merely looking at tonnage (glass weights a lot more than paper), and takes into account the emissions created when waste is disposed of, whether through recycling, incineration, composting, anaerobic digestion or being sent to landfill.

The 2019 metric shows a continued downward trajectory since 2011 in Scotland’s household waste carbon impact. This is largely due to increased recycling rates – particularly for high impact waste materials – as well as reductions in waste generated and reduced landfilling of biodegradable waste.

The carbon impact of household waste generated and managed in 2018 was 5.7 million tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent (CO2e) – which is 1.0 tonnes per person. This was a decrease of 94,000 TCO2e from 2018 and a decrease of 1.1 million from 2011.

LESS THAN 1 MILLION TONNES OF HOUSEHOLD WASTE SENT TO LANDFILL FOR THE FIRST TIME

2019 saw a further decrease of household waste sent to landfill – falling below 1 million tonnes for the first time – down 26% or 273,000 tonnes from 2018. This is the eighth consecutive decrease in household waste landfilled since 2011 – and for the third consecutive year there was more Scottish waste recycled (1.1 million tonnes) than landfilled (0.76 tonnes). Waste recycled included reuse and composting.

The total amount of Scottish household waste managed by other diversion from landfill was 577,000 tonnes, an increase of 93% from 2018 – 369% from 2011. Most was managed by incineration (78%, 454,000 tonnes), followed by other treatment (16%, 91,000 tonnes) and non-certified composting/digestion (6%, 32,000 tonnes)

PLASTIC, GLASS, PAPER AND CARDBOARD

Plastic recycling rose by 1,000 tonnes (1%) to 57,379 tonnes in 2019, continuing the trend of increasing each year for the last eight years. Glass remains the second most recycled material, with 107,000 tonnes, similar to 2018.

Paper and cardboard as a whole remains the largest volume of material recycled at 192,562 tonnes.  However, there has been a general downward trend of paper and cardboard wastes recycled –in 2018 was down 17,000 tonnes (8%) – a 48,000 tonne (20%) reduction since 2011.

Within this mix, segregated paper waste is in continual decline – while cardboard and mixed paper and cardboard wastes have remained constant or increased over time. This may be partly due to replacement of segregated paper collections with mixed paper and cardboard collections.

It is also likely that a move away from print media to electronic media has decreased paper waste, while cardboard wastes have not decreased on the same scale, which could be a result of increased packaging materials as consumer habits move online.

HOUSEHOLD RECYCLING RATE 44.9%

Scotland’s overall household waste recycling rate was 44.9%, an increase of 0.2 percentage points from 2018 and 5.4 percentage points up from the 39.5% achieved in 2011. Data for every one of Scotland’s 32 local authorities are available on SEPA’s website.

WASTE DATA COLLECTION

Data on waste are collected to monitor policy effectiveness, and to support policy development, particularly commitments in the Scottish Government’s Making Things Last – A Circular Economy Strategy for Scotland.

Further details on the methodology used to produce the figures are provided in the “Household waste” section of the annual Waste Data Quality Reports.

The figures are accurate at the time of publication, however data may be updated if further revisions are necessary. Normally these revisions will be published concurrent with the next official release.

Jo Zwitserlood, Head of Materials at the Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA), said: “Recycling is a real Scottish success story and is a simple daily step we all can take to build a more sustainable Scotland.

“Reducing the amount of waste we generate, and keeping products and materials in use for as long as possible through re-use and recycling, will help Scotland tackle the climate emergency. This is reflected in the household waste data published today, that shows the reducing carbon impact of our waste.

“The most successful countries in the 21st century will move from a traditional ‘take, make and dispose’ model to a resource efficient, circular economy where materials that would have been waste, are now valued as a useful resource. It is therefore extremely encouraging to see a continued increase in the amount of household waste recycled, and the amount of waste going to landfill at its lowest since records began.   

“With its globally ambitious circular economy strategy and investment in infrastructure that will extract maximum value from materials through remanufacturing and recycling, Scotland is well placed to realise the environmental and economic opportunities for our nation and its people.”

Consultation launched on banning common single-use plastic items

Plans to ban some of the most environmentally damaging single-use plastic items in Scotland, including plastic cutlery and plastic straws, have been published for consultation.

The Scottish Government is seeking views on the introduction of new legislation to restrict the sale or commercial supply of plastic plates, plastic straws, plastic cutlery, polystyrene food and drink containers, plastic balloon sticks and products made from oxo-degradable plastics.

These items are the ones most commonly found washed up on European beaches and were identified in the EU Single Plastics Directive as contributing the majority share of litter found in the marine environment.

Millions are used in Scotland each year, including an estimated 300 million plastic straws, 276 million pieces of plastic cutlery, 50 million plastic plates and 66 million polystyrene food containers.

Restrictions on the sale or commercial supply of these single use plastic products would support efforts to tackle Scotland’s throwaway culture, reduce problematic litter and promote the use of more environmentally-friendly alternatives. 

Environment Secretary Roseanna Cunningham said: “There is no longer any doubt that plastic waste is having a hugely damaging impact on our oceans, rivers and land ecosystems.

“We must act now to reduce our reliance on single-use plastic and drive forward a move towards more sustainable, environmentally-friendly alternatives.

“Failure to do so is a dereliction of our duty to our children, who will inherit a natural world polluted by the plastics we have thrown away for the sake of convenience.

“This government is committed to tackling this problem. We were the first country in the UK to ban plastic-stemmed cotton buds and plans are well underway for a Deposit Return Scheme in Scotland.

“The proposals published today will take us further – keeping pace with the environmental standards of our European partners and re-affirming our position as a world-leader in the circular economy.

“However, in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic, it is important that the introduction of these measures is carefully considered. It is why we are keen to hear a range of views and I would encourage any individual, business or organisation with an interest to respond to the consultation.”

It is expected that any legislation would be introduced in 2021. The consultation will also seek views on the introduction of a ban on the non-commercial supply and manufacture of the single-use plastic items outlined in the consultation.

Iain Gulland, chief executive of Zero Waste Scotland, said: “Plastic is by far the most commonly used material in today’s single-use culture. There are clear benefits in use, of flexibility and durability, but plastic also causes significant damage when it leaks into our natural environment, including our rivers, lochs and seas.

“The consultation offers an opportunity to protect wildlife and prevent the heart-breaking scenes we see all too often in TV documentaries like Blue Planet 2. We hope people will also take this opportunity to adopt more sustainable solutions, such as reusable alternatives, to these single-use items.”

View the consultation on Citizen Space. The consultation will be open for 12 weeks and close on 04 January 2021 .

The full list of products being considered for market restrictions are:

  1. Single-use plastic cutlery (forks, knives, spoons, chopsticks)
  2. Single-use plastic plates (plates, trays/platters, bowls)
  3. Single-use plastic straws
  4. Single-use plastic beverage stirrers
  5. Single-use plastic balloon sticks
  6. Single-use food containers made of expanded polystyrene
  7. Single-use cups and other beverage containers made of expanded polystyrene, including their covers and lids
  8. All oxo-degradable products. This type of plastic (due to additives contained in it) contributes to micro-plastic pollution in the environment, is not compostable and negatively affects the recycling of conventional plastic.

Restricting these items would bring Scotland in line with Article 5 of the EU Single-Use Plastics Directive (EU) 2019/904.

Scotland’s deposit return scheme passed by parliament

The Scottish Parliament has voted to approve regulations which will establish Scotland’s Deposit Scheme to boost recycling of single-use drinks containers.

The scheme will see people pay a 20p deposit on metal cans and PET plastic and glass bottles, refunded when they’re returned for recycling.

The final regulations, which were laid in the Scottish Parliament in March, maintain the ambitious approach to materials, with glass included alongside PET plastic and aluminium and steel.

Following consultation with island communities, feedback from the Scottish Parliament’s Environment Committee and stakeholder input, the Scottish Government made changes to the regulations.

These include a commitment to review the performance of the scheme by October 2026, including the deposit level, materials and the collection targets.

Zero Waste Scotland has been advising the Scottish Government on the design of the scheme, which builds on evidence from successful international schemes and the response to the Scottish Government’s public consultation.

Zero Waste Scotland’s Chief Operating Officer, Jill Farrell, says the scheme will be a “game-changer” for recycling and the circular economy in Scotland.

“By giving people an extra incentive to do something good for our environment, and having a consistent approach across Scotland, it will be easier for all of us to do the right thing”, she said. “This will improve the volume and quality of recycling and help tackle litter in the process.

“With a huge network of places to return your bottles and cans, it will be just as easy to return a drink as it is to buy one in the first place. I’m proud of Zero Waste Scotland’s role in advising the Scottish Government on this design, which has resulted in a blueprint for a world-class scheme.”

The Scottish Government has also published the Stage 1 Full Business Case for the scheme. This document, which provides the overarching framework for the preferred scheme design and commercial approach, can be access on the Scottish Government website.

Now that the scheme has passed into law, details on how to apply to become a scheme administrator(s) that will run Scotland’s Deposit Return Scheme will be available shortly.

Until the deposit return scheme is up and running, as Scotland continues to tackle coronavirus, consumers should follow the latest government and local authority advice on dealing with recycling and waste items.

You can find help and guidance on managingourwaste.scot which includes our simple and practical advice on how to manage your waste effectively to help ease the pressure on our essential services.

You can also find lots of useful recycling and waste reduction hints and tips on the new How To Waste Less website.

 

Halloween waste: Pumpkins and fancy dress heading “straight to Britain’s bins”

Up to 18,000 tons to be thrown out by the end of the big day

Hundreds of thousands of pumpkins, single use fancy dress clothes and plastic tat will be thrown into Britain’s bins by the end of the Hallowe’en festivities. Continue reading Halloween waste: Pumpkins and fancy dress heading “straight to Britain’s bins”

Brown Bin Permits are in the post

Residents who have signed up for the next garden waste service year in Edinburgh have started to receive their permit stickers through the post.

A total of 68,705 households registered for the fortnightly brown bin collections during the six-week sign-up period over the summer.

More than 75,000 individual permits were applied for, meaning a proportion of applicants paid for more than one brown bin.

Residents who have signed up to the service are urged to get in touch with the Council if they haven’t received their permits by Monday evening [30 September].

Environment Convener Councillor Lesley Macinnes said: “We’re almost at the start of our new service year for garden waste collections, so if you signed up over the summer, look out for your permit sticker landing on your doormat in the coming days.

“Last year, green-minded residents helped us send more than 9,000 tonnes of garden waste to be turned into compost for gardens, parks and farmland and we hope to recycle even more this coming service year.”

The next opportunity to sign up to the garden waste service will take place between 20 January and 3 February 2020.

UK requires an immediate ban on single use products

Eight worst landfill offenders revealed

Certain items should be banned immediately to prevent further damage the environment, according to business waste and recycling experts BusinessWaste.co.uk .

While the impact of single-use plastics is being discussed more visibly, actual change has been slow. The introduction of a 5p charge for plastic bags saw a dramatic reduction in the number of new bags issued by retailers, but still saw 500 million bags issued in six months after the scheme was rolled out – still equivalent to 4,000 tonnes of new plastic.

Similarly, many chain restaurants have announced their intention to introduce paper, rather than plastic, straws, following the Government’s announcement that they would soon ban the sale of plastic straws – but many outlets are still using plastic, 6 months away from the proposed implementation of the ban.

There are, research by BusinessWaster.co.uk and studies have shown, a number of items whose use – and subsequent disposal – create an unjustifiable amount of plastic waste.

Here, we look at the worst offenders (and some alternatives):

Plastic bags

Plastic bags take 10-20 years to break down in the environment – unlike a water-soluble alternative developed in Chile, which (despite looking identical to a traditional carrier bag) dissolves once stirred into water, removing the need for landfill-clogging plastics.

Disposable nappies

Taking a horrifying 450 years to break down, disposable nappies are one of the worst offenders for single-use plastic – and, as many contain moisture-locking gels, can have other unintended ill-effects once dumped in landfill. However, reusable cloth nappies are now widely available, and have been found to be better for babies’ skin – making for happier babies and more eco-friendly parents.

Fishing line

An unusual entry, but with 1.2 million fishing licences issued for 2015-16 (the most recent year for which data is available), there are millions of miles of plastic fishing line (which takes 600 years to break down) bought and discarded each year. Banning this would not stop angling enthusiasts, however – dissolvable fishing line has been developed which eventually breaks down in water, meaning fishing fans can still hook their catch of the day without adding to landfill!

Cigarette butts

By now, everyone is aware that smoking itself is dangerous – and banning it outright would contribute dramatically to an improvement in public health. But plastic cigarette filters, which are discarded once a smoker finishes their crafty smoking break, take between 1 and 5 years to break down in landfill. However, with improved support for smoking cessation and reusable vaping technology available, there are alternatives for those who are addicted and struggling to quit.

Plastic bottles

Taking up to 450 years to break down, plastic bottles are a prime offender – and banning them could see the continued increase of reusable water containers, which have seen a dramatic increase in sales in recent years. Many of these are more durable plastics, or aluminium, and therefore can be used for many years before needing recycling.

Styrofoam

Horrifyingly, there are no indications for how long this widely-used packaging material takes to break down after it has been discarded – causing a potentially massive headache for the environment, as online shopping (and therefore carefully-packed parcels) reaches new heights each year. However, there are eco-friendly alternatives. From bamboo fibre packaging to cardboard ‘packing peanuts’, there are a wealth of cushioning options for your brand new TV to be delivered safely.

Aluminium cans

While aluminium cans are recyclable, many local authorities lack the capacity to actually do so – and many millions of drinks cans are sent to landfill each year. However, as they can take up 200 years to break down, drinks retailers could consider more eco-friendly options if they were banned – such as reusable glass containers or even recyclable cardboard cartons.

BusinessWaste.co.uk spokesperson Mark Hall said:

“We truly believe that there cannot be significant change to the amount of single-use plastic – and other materials – going to landfill without equally significant action. Banning these products might seem like a big step, but as we’ve shown, there are plenty of eco-friendly alternatives.

“The best way to encourage businesses to innovate and find better ways of manufacturing is to create demand for it, and that’s what we believe a ban on these items would do. The general public are now more aware of green issues than ever and we feel that there would be widespread support for a bold move towards improving our environmental credentials.”