UK Plastic Bag Use Up as 60 Percent of Shops Offer Recycling Points

Some 8.1 billion thin-gauge (single-use) plastic bags were used by UK supermarket customers in 2012, according to the latest data from the Waste and Resources Action Programme (WRAP) – an increase of 1.3% over the 2011 figures. However, according to the data this still represents a decrease of 34% compared with 2006 (12.2 billion), when reporting began. The amount of thin-gauge bags used per month by supermarket customers increased from 10.5 per capita in 2011 to 10.7 in 2012. The overall WRAP found that the number of bags, including re-usable bags, issued by supermarkets in 2012 totalled 8.5 billion. This compares to 8.4 billion bags in 2011 and 12.4 billion bags in 2006. The total weight of all bags issued in 2012 was some 70,400 tonnes, compared with 72,300 tonnes in 2011 - a 2.6% decrease due to a fall in the average weight of bags.. Overall there has been a 36% decrease in the weight of carrier bags from the baseline year of 2006. Furthermore, the data also showed a 50% reduction in the amount of virgin polymer used in all carrier bags between the baseline of 2006 and 2012. However, between 2011 and 2012 there was a 2.4% increase in virgin polymer used in all carrier bags. Data on carrier bags issued by supermarkets has been gathered and analysed by WRAP at the request of UK governments on an annual basis since 2006. In 2012, retailers for the first time supplied information about front-of-store recycling of carrier bags. The results show that around 60% of stores had recycling facilities available. Four retailers provided data for all stores, and a further two provided data for their larger-format stores only. Changing behaviour Commenting on the data, the British Retail Consortium explained that Changing consumer habits mean that people are increasingly using ‘top-up shopping’ in addition to their larger weekly shops. According to the organisation, these shops also typically use smaller and lighter bags, which means that whilst the quantity of bags has risen slightly the weight of bags is going down. “Consumer habits are evolving rapidly, but the sector is still working hard to keep pace whilst helping customers to reduce their environmental impact,” commented Andrew Opie, director of food and sustainability at the British Retail Consortium. “The majority of shoppers do their best to reuse bags and take as few new bags as possible, and the rapid roll-out of store recycling points and green incentives online is making this good practice easier and more widespread,” he continued. “Supermarkets’ environmental work extends well beyond carrier bags to wider and more important green goals including reducing packaging, domestic food waste and waste to landfill. Retailers have beaten a range of challenging Government targets in these areas,” concluded Opie. Read More LA Ban to Cut 2 Billion Plastic Bags Entering Waste Stream The City of Los Angeles has become the largest city in the U.S. to introduce a ban on plastic grocery bags. Study to Investigate Mixed Plastic Waste Recycling from Healthcare A six month pilot study to analyse plastic healthcare waste with the aim of improving recycling rates is to be conducted at Stanford Hospital and Clinics in Palo Alto, California following an agreement with the Healthcare Plastics Recycling Council. High Value Recycled Products from Mixed Plastic Wastes A pan European consortium project which aims to create high value products with properties similar to timber or aluminium from low grade mixed plastic waste has been launched.