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England’s seven largest supermarkets sold 490 million fewer single-use plastic bags in 2018/19 than the year before – a drop of almost half, the department for environment, food and rural affairs (DEFRA) has revealed.
In 2014, more than 7.5 billion bags were sold per year. Five years on, just 1.1 billion were sold.
The 5p charge on plastic bag sales have also contributed to £169m worth of charity donations, with more than £22m raised in 2018/19 alone, according to DEFRA.
Environment secretary Theresa Villiers said, “No one wants to see the devastating impact plastic waste is having on our precious wildlife. Today’s figures are a powerful demonstration that we are collectively calling time on being a throwaway society.”
If marine litter is not tackled, plastic in the sea will treble in a decade, government scientists have warned.
The government has also recently announced a range of measures to eliminate all forms of avoidable plastic waste, including a ban on microbeads. Plastic straws, stirrers and cotton buds will also be banned from April 2020.
inews.co.uk
In 2014, more than 7.5 billion bags were sold per year. Five years on, just 1.1 billion were sold.
The 5p charge on plastic bag sales have also contributed to £169m worth of charity donations, with more than £22m raised in 2018/19 alone, according to DEFRA.
Environment secretary Theresa Villiers said, “No one wants to see the devastating impact plastic waste is having on our precious wildlife. Today’s figures are a powerful demonstration that we are collectively calling time on being a throwaway society.”
If marine litter is not tackled, plastic in the sea will treble in a decade, government scientists have warned.
The government has also recently announced a range of measures to eliminate all forms of avoidable plastic waste, including a ban on microbeads. Plastic straws, stirrers and cotton buds will also be banned from April 2020.
Plastic bag sales down 90% since 5p levy introduced in England
Sales of single-use plastic bags at the seven biggest retailers in England have plummeted by 90 per cent since the introduction of a 5p charge in 2015
inews.co.uk
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