The Big Plastic Count

The Big Plastic Count is the UK’s biggest ever investigation into household plastic waste. By counting your household plastic waste packaging for a week, you and your child will help tackle plastic pollution.

The Survey will take place from Monday 16 to Sunday 22 May.

Aim

This year is crucial in the fight against plastic pollution. The government is deciding targets to reduce plastic waste. With your help, The Big Plastic Count will uncover the truth about how much household plastic is recycled, presenting real evidence that will persuade the government to take action.

After all, recycling alone cannot solve the plastic crisis. There needs to be less plastic in the first place. That’s why our mission is for the government to set a target to reduce single-use plastic by 50% by 2025 and to ban waste exports to other countries.

We hope you can join in on this journey. Together, we can uncover the truth about plastic recycling and stop everyday plastic at the source.

How to take part

From Monday morning until Sunday evening, either:

Collect then count: Collect your plastic waste in a separate bag and count it at the end of the week using the My Tally Sheet

Count as you throw: Count every piece of plastic package as you throw it away by tallying it up on your My Tally Sheet.

Top Tips

• We want to tally all of the plastic packaging you use in a week, including on-the-go items like take-away cups, plastic bags and fast food packaging. So count what you buy when you’re out and about, as well as household items
• Use the Plastic ID page to help you categorise your plastic
• Count everything! This means all plastic packaging
• Tell everyone you live with to count or collect each piece of plastic they throw away
• Don’t forget bathroom waste and packaging from the post too!
• Put your My Tally Sheet somewhere noticeable like on the fridge or next to the bin to help you remember that it’s The Big Plastic Count week. Tallying your plastic for the week might sound like a lot but it should only take a couple of minutes out of your day.

Find out more about The Big Plastic Count here