THE results of the Big Plastic Count have been revealed, the UK’s largest ever investigation into household plastic waste and the outcome has surprised Ludlow MP Philip Dunne.

Close to 250,000 people took part in the Count between May 16 and 22.

More than 6.4 million individual pieces of plastic were counted, with each household throwing away 66 pieces of plastic on average.

Applied to the UK, this represents 1.85 billion pieces of plastic thrown away each and every week.

“Taking part in the Big Plastic Count was a real eye-opener for me and my family,” said Ludlow MP Philip Dunne.

“It is staggering to see the overall amount of plastic that we as a nation throw away every day. The Count has shown that nearly 100 billion pieces of plastic each year are thrown in the bin, with only 12 per cent of this waste currently being recycled.

The Environmental Audit Committee, chaired by Mr Dunne, has previously called on the Government to bring forward its plans for a plastic bottle Deposit Return Scheme as one key measure to mitigate plastic waste levels. The Committee has also raised concerns over the risk to public health posed by plastic in the UK’s inland waterways.

“My Committee in Parliament has consistently raised awareness of the scourge of plastic pollution, particularly in our rivers, and I am pleased that the Big Plastic Count has provided such in-depth analysis of plastic waste which will strengthen our calls on the Government to go further in tackling our plastic consumption,” added Mr Dunne.