Plastic takes a very long time to decompose. As a rule, plastic items take 1,000 years to break down into component elements. The plastic bags that we use on a daily basis, for instance, take anywhere between 10 and 1,000 years, which is a lot. It’s not hard to understand why plastic pollution is a concern. Plastic impacts the wildlife habitat, not to mention humans by affecting the lands, oceans, and waterways. Countries in the European Union are doing their best to fight plastic pollution, taking on this enormous challenge while making the transition to the circular economy.
The United Kingdom has recently joined the way on plastics, as they call it. Britain has taken many concrete steps towards combatting plastic pollution and there is hope that other countries will follow its example. It’s for the quality of citizen’s lives. Undoubtedly, the issue deserves attention. In this article, we will discuss in detail the UK’s commitment to the fight against plastic pollution.
Introducing the UK Plastics Pact
The positive applications of plastics don’t outweigh the downsides. Many problematic issues can be avoided by simply avoiding the use of plastic. Plastic represents the material of choice for many businesses because it’s flexible, not to mention cost-effective. Deciding to go plastic-free is the best decision that an organisation can make. Companies in the United Kingdom have understood that it’s necessary to distance themselves from the linear plastics economy and transition towards a more circular economy.
The most important companies in Britain have signed the “Anti-Plastic Pact”, which is initiated by WRAP, an organisation that promoted the conservation of the environment. It’s estimated that more than 40 businesses have signed the pact. This includes major brands such as Coca-Cola, Danone, Tesco, Lidl, Nestle, and so on. The aim is to eliminate single-use plastic packaging and redesign all the packaging to make it reusable, recyclable, and, last but not least, environmentally-friendly.
The great environmental initiative enjoys support from local authorities, universities, waste management companies, and small and medium-sized businesses. Things have changed for the better. Through collaborative working, improvements will occur in the areas that are desperately in need of change. Packaging recyclability guidelines are very strict, so it won’t be easy to make recyclability claims.
The Queen bans plastic from the Royal Estate
The Queen of the United Kingdom doesn’t want to see plastic at Buckingham Palace, Windsor Castle, and Scotland’s Palace. To be more precise, a plan has been devised to eliminate plastic items, such as straws and bottles, at royal estates. It will be necessary to use suitable alternatives, like china, glass, and recyclable paper. This doesn’t come as a surprise taking into account the fact that the Royal Household is committed to preserving the environment and make a real impact.
Have you ever stopped to think about what happens to the plastic that ends up in the recycling bin? Well, following collection, the plastic is transported to the Materials Recovery Facility. There are numerous facilities of this kind in London and around the city. On the conveyor belt, plastic is sorted into polymers, which is done mainly automatically. Once the materials have been separated, they are sent off to recycling centres. It’s not uncommon to use waste balers, which compresses the recyclable materials into small blocks. If you would like to find out more, please visit the website. Getting back on topic, the Royal Household is no stranger to reducing waste and recycling.
Sustainability is encouraged at the Royal Estate. Queen Elizabeth II has arrived at the conclusion that recycling isn’t enough and has decided to ban plastic completely. We couldn’t be happier. Maybe more imperial households will declare war on plastic and make the planet a better place for future generations.
Pledge to eradicate plastic by 2042
Earlier this year, the Government of the United Kingdom affirmed that it would commit to solving the plastic problem. In this sense, Her Majesty’s Government will spend approximately £80 million to eradicate the time-pressing issue. What is more, another £149 million will be committed to the efforts of saving the planet. It may not seem as much, but this sum will enable important players to fight against plastic pollution, come up with new ideas, and tackle the worldwide issue. The goal is to eliminate plastic waste by 2042.
This is indeed an ambitious plan. Nevertheless, if anyone can do it, that is Britain. Fi changes are made to the tax system and the charges relating to single-use plastic items, we aren’t likely to see plastic anymore. The United Kingdom, as well as the rest of the world, needs a natural environment and continuing to use plastic is out of the question. Every year, countless turtles and other sea creatures die because they get tangled up in plastic waste. It doesn’t decompose and can linger on in the landfill for many, many years.
If more nations tool the UK’s example and plan ahead of time, we would live in a much better world. For the time being, we have to applaud government efforts to make a change. It’s hoped that a hostile force won’t counteract them.
Supermarkets go “nude”
The first supermarket in Britain to remove plastic from its offering was Sainsbury’s. the retailer plans to considerably reduce the plastic used for packaging fruits and vegetables. The good news is that more and more supermarkets are going nude. It’s just an expression. What we meant to say is that large self-service shops commercialising food and household items want to eliminate plastic for good. They have already given up on plastic straws and will slowly but surely introduce new types of packaging.
Soon, supermarkets will have plastic-free aisles and will sue wrapping that saves the oceans from waste. Attention needs to be paid to the fact that many of the United Kingdom’s supermarkets have adhered to the Anti-Plastic Pact and, therefore, have a responsibility to contribute to the creation of a circular economy. Tesco, for instance, plans to eliminate the hardest materials to recycle and, with time, will get its suppliers to do the same.
To sum up, there is an urgent need to eliminate plastic waste and the UK is leading the way. There are numerous initiatives to reduce and even eliminate single-use plastic. Many nations are involved in the battle against plastic. Those that are relying on inspiration or simply don’t know what to do should take a look at the British Isles.
