Almost half of households are underestimating their plastic waste stream, with online purchases proving particularly problematic.
According to new research from the Revolution Plastics Institute at the University of Portsmouth, there is significant need to encourage residents to acknowledge the ‘hidden volume’ of plastic being thrown away each week. Initiatives like The Big Plastic Count can help increase public pressure on policy makers as people begin to see the extent of the problem.
The so-called ‘plastic blindness’ epidemic stems can be linked to a number of sources. However, Internet shopping was found to be the biggest culprit. This has led to recommendations that retailers should introduce clearer packaging waste warnings.
‘We believe plastic blindness is a coping strategy,’ said lead author Dr Kate Whitman of the Revolution Plastics Institute. ‘Consumers have little power to go completely plastic-free, so ignoring the waste we generate can feel necessary for peace of mind.’
‘But when that waste becomes impossible to overlook, concern rises and people become more willing to engage in reuse and refill systems,’ she continued. ‘Online retailers could help by making packaging impacts visible at the point of purchase – and by offering clear reuse or refill alternatives to single-use packaging.’
Findings relied on three data sets gathered over two years. These included The Big Plastic Count in 2022 and 2024, the U.K.’s largest ever citizen science project related to plastic waste. A follow-up survey of more than 8000 participants, looking at attitudes towards recycling, reuse and refill systems, was also factored in. As was a Greenpeace petition measuring links between participation in the count and support for the Global Plastics Treaty.
‘By forcing people to confront their own use of plastic, we’ve shown that citizen science can be a catalyst not only for personal change but for collective action as well,’ added Professor Cressida Bowyer, Deputy Director of the Revolution Plastics Institute at the University of Portsmouth. ‘As a result, we’ve found a measurable increase in political engagement, a powerful signal to policymakers.’
Image: Jonathan Chng / Unsplash
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