DRASTIC PLASTIC

60 pieces of packaging chucked away by every household every week

- NADA FARHOUD

EVERY week each UK home bins 60 bits of plastic packaging, most of which ends up in landfill or in toxic incinerators.

That adds up nationally to nearly 90 billion pieces a year, figures from Greenpeace's Big Plastic Count show.

Only the Americans throw away more plastic per person than we do.

And just 17% of binned plastic is recycled domestically.

About 225,000 people took part in last month's survey, which found packaging for snacks and fruit and veg were the most commonly counted plastic items. Most discarded bits 58% from 46% in 2022.

But 14% is exported and 11% ends up in landfill.