It is very difficult to find figures for the amount of plastic that is ACTUALLY recycled - I have come across figures for the UK ranging from 9% to 45%
From a Greenpeace article I read they stated that the Government claims that almost half of the UK's plastic packaging gets recycled but Greenpeace's findings discovered that that just wasn't true.
Thousands of tonnes which could be recycled end up in incinerators - giant furnaces which burn waste and cause air pollution, noise , smells, litter and increased traffic. Some also goes to landfill where it can leach toxic chemicals into the environment.
In 2021 well over half of household plastic packaging that the government claims is recycled is sent abroad where it can be dumped or burned illegally.
So the sad finding from the Green Peace Article 'What Really happens to your plastic Recycling' is that less than 10% of everyday plastic - the plastic packaging that the things we buy wrapped in - actually gets recycled in the UK.
The problem is there is still too much throwaway plastic being produced.
Cutting out single use plastic is an absolute must.
So next time you are heading to work, or the hills with a picnic, or making a packed lunch for the kids - PLEASE stop and think - Are you using single use sandwich bags or cling film? And if so PLEASE switch to something like the Wrappers. Reusable is the way forward.
https://action.greenpeace.org.uk/l/854853/2021-05-06/rjxtv?source=UN&subsource=OCPOPSPEUN02YU&utm_source=bsd&utm_medium=redirect&utm_campaign=post%20pardot%20launch%20redirect
