Following in the footsteps of Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, England began to collect plastic bags from October 2015, 5p per bag. The standard dictates that any major retailer with more than 250 workers have to charge 5p for every plastic bag they give away single use. A few months later, the results have been amazing.
In 2014 more than 7 billion plastic bags were distributed in stores in the UK, 40 bags per household. In the first six months after the measure they have fallen to 640 million in England. This is an impressive fall of 85%. People have started using reusable bags when shopping.
This data follows the trend seen in the rest of the UK, with single-use bag falling 71% in Northern Ireland, 76% in Wales and 80% in Scotland.
Have been raised about £ 30 million, which has been donated to various causes, such as charity, environmental causes and community groups. Success with the large supermarket chains, makes measure now will extend to small businesses, as has been done in Scotland and Wales.
As it is expected to help the environment by reducing the amount of plastic that ends up in landfills, as well as the number of bags that end up in the sea. It is believed that about 8 million tons of plastic end up in the oceans every year. A recent study found UK plastic bags floating in the waters of the Arctic.
” It will mean that our precious marine life is safer, our communities are cleaner and future generations will not find with mountains of plastic need hundreds of years to decompose in landfills,” said Environment Minister Therese Coffey.
