Skip to main content
Sister Publication Links
  • Plastics News
  • Plastics News China
  • European Rubber Journal
SustainablePlasticsFINAL
Subscribe
  • Login
  • Register
  • SUBSCRIBE
  • News
    • Recycling
    • Sustainability
    • Bioplastics
    • Technology & Materials
    • Itero to build plastic waste recycling plant at Brightlands Chemelot Campus
      VTT-led research project aims to find ways to recover and recycle river plastic waste - profitably
      New mechanical recycling demo plant Borealis and Tomra marries chemistry with technology
      KBR, Mura partner to spur global development of the world’s first advanced recycling process based on steam
    • Huhtamaki welcomes LCA results on environmental impact of single-use packaging
      Flexible packaging industry seeks stronger alignment with circular economy ambitions
      E-marketplace brings recycled and renewable materials to circular economy
      BPF launches 'Sustainability in the Plastics Supply Chain' report
    • Novamont advances vertical integration growth strategy with acquisition BioBag
      British researchers make sustainable polymer from sugars in wood
      Novamont to further integrate upstream production with construction FDCA demonstration plant
      Sulzer wins contract to install new lactide processing plant in China
    • Injection Moulding
    • Blow Moulding
    • Extrusion
    • Thermoforming
    • 3D printing
    • Technology
    • Materials
    • Machinery
  • Opinion
    • View Point
    • A year to remember
      Opinion: California introduces world’s toughest plastic bottle recycling legislature – will other markets follow?
      Opinion: What to expect from plastic that protects our kids
      Legislation is catching up with our Lifestyle goals
  • Events
    • Our Exhibitions
    • Plastics Industry Awards (PIA)
    • Ask the Expert
    • Sustainable Plastics Live
    • Reifenhäuser Technologies Livestreams
    • Plastics News Europe Live Archives
    • Plastics Recycling Show Europe
  • Prices & Resources
    • Polymer Prices
    • Data Reports
    • White Papers
  • Contact
    • Advertise
    • Media Pack
  • Subscribe
    • Magazine
    • Newsletters
    • List Rental
  • Digital magazine
    • Digital Magazine
  • Multimedia
MENU
Breadcrumb
  1. Home
  2. News
November 24, 2016 06:00 AM

Plastic bag charge 'vindicated', says Marine Conservation Society

PRW
  • Tweet
  • Share
  • Share
  • Email
  • More
    Print
    The 5-pence charge has been introduced across the year over the last four years, starting in Wales.

    The now UK-wide charge for single use plastic carrier bags has had a significant impact on the amount being carelessly thrown away by consumers, according to the Marine Conservation Society (MCS).

    In its latest Great British Beach Clean report, the MCS said the number of plastic bags found across 364 beaches around the UK – which had been ‘swept' by nearly 6,000 volunteers over one weekend in September – had fallen by 40% in a year.

    The North West of England saw the greatest reduction in bags found along 100-metre-long stretches of coastline, down 67%, while the South West witnessed a 63% fall. In the South East the figure was 51% lower than last year.

    In Scotland, where a 5p charge has been in place since 2014, the decline was smaller, at 10%, while Wales, which introduced a charge five years ago, saw littered bags down by a third.

    MCS Beachwatch manager Lauren Eyles, said the charge had been vindicated in terms of lessening the impact of bags on the country's beaches: “In the last decade, our Great British Beach Clean volunteers have found an average of 10 single use carrier bags for every 100 metres of coastline cleaned.

    “This year, for the first time since the charges were introduced, we've seen a significant drop in the number and that can only be as a result of the 5p charge which is now in place in all the home nations.

    “It vindicates the charge, which we predicted would be good news for the marine environment. Thanks to our thousands of fantastic volunteers who collect beach litter data, we can now see the impact these charges have had.”

    However Eyles said the figure of 268,384 individual pieces of plastic picked up by MCS beach cleaners was a “disaster”, despite the amount being less than last year's tidy-up operation.

    Analysis from the MCS said that 43% of the litter found on UK beaches was too small to identify, and it was impossible to accurately predict where it had come from.

    While the figure of an average of 649 littered items collected per 100 metres was a 4% decrease on last year, data collected by Great British Beach Clean volunteers also showed a rise of more than 4% in the quantity of drinks containers found – including plastic bottles, bottle tops and aluminium cans.

    Get our newsletters

    Staying current is easy with Sustainable Plastics' news delivered straight to your inbox, free of charge.

    Reserve your subscription today

    Subscriptions to Sustainable Plastics, the leading Pan-European magazine for the circular plastics industry are coming soon.

    Subscribe now
    Connect with Us
    • LinkedIn
    • Twitter

    "In a changing world, Sustainable Plastics is a constant: a platform the plastics industry can rely on to deliver the news and knowhow impacting the industry going forward”

    SustainablePlasticsFINAL
    Contact Us

    11 Ironmonger Lane, EC2V 8EY
    United Kingdom 
    Tel: +44 (0)1622 370570

    Customer Service:
    1-313-446-0450

    [email protected]

     

    Resources
    • Advertise
    • Sitemap
    • Careers
    • Subscribe
    Affiliates
    • Plastics News
    • Plastics News China
    • LSR World
    • European Rubber Journal
    • Urethanes Technology
    • Tire Business
    • Rubber & Plastics News
    • Automotive News
    • Automotive News Europe
    • Crain Publications
    Legal
    • Terms and Conditions
    • Privacy Policy
    • Privacy Request
    Copyright © 1996-2021. Crain Communications, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
    • News
      • Recycling
      • Sustainability
      • Bioplastics
      • Technology & Materials
        • Injection Moulding
        • Blow Moulding
        • Extrusion
        • Thermoforming
        • 3D printing
        • Technology
        • Materials
        • Machinery
    • Opinion
      • View Point
    • Events
      • Our Exhibitions
        • Plastics Recycling Show Europe
      • Plastics Industry Awards (PIA)
      • Ask the Expert
      • Sustainable Plastics Live
      • Reifenhäuser Technologies Livestreams
      • Plastics News Europe Live Archives
    • Prices & Resources
      • Polymer Prices
      • Data Reports
      • White Papers
    • Contact
      • Advertise
      • Media Pack
    • Subscribe
      • Magazine
      • Newsletters
      • List Rental
    • Digital magazine
      • Digital Magazine
    • Multimedia