Single use plastics

Single use plastics are plastics which are intended to be used once and then thrown away.

Examples of single use plastics include:

• Plastic bags and packaging
• Disposable coffee cups (most have a plastic lining).
• Plastic food and drink containers

Some types of single use plastics are unavoidable, but we know there are many types of single use plastics that we can avoid.

The problem with plastics

Plastics have many benefits and are useful for many things. However, single use plastics in particular can have a big impact on the environment. This is because:

• They are made from oil which is a limited resource and a fossil fuel, which means the  production of single use plastics contributes to climate change.
• Many types of plastics can be hard to recycle.
• They can break down into tiny particles called microplastics which are potentially damaging to our health.
• When improperly disposed of they can cause litter and make our borough look untidy.
• They take hundreds of years to break down and can damage our oceans, rivers and natural environments in the process.