Beeswax Wraps!

1. Cling film is a single use plastic and it is generally not recyclable therefore it will instantly end up on landfill. A lot of plastic waste ends up in our oceans – creating a risk for wildlife or fish. There are some biodegradable cling films, but these can break down into microplastics which are dangerous for wildlife. Did you know: More than 1.2 billion metres of cling film is used by households across Britain every year! Enough to go around the world 30 times! Beeswax Wraps! These are pieces of cotton which are coated in beeswax or a vegan alternative. They can be moulded over the top of bowls or to make envelopes for sandwiches. They can be reused again and again.

2. The UK uses 13 billion plastic bottles every year. Only 7.5 billion are recycled leaving 5.5 billion in landfill, as litter or being burnt in an incinerator! Landfill and incineration of plastic bottles produces approximately 233,000 tonnes of CO2 emissions a year. Did you know: 14% of all litter in the ocean comes from beverage containers! A reusable water bottle! Many locations now have water fountains for you to fill up from! Reusable bottles will also help to keep your drink cooler for longer.

3. In the UK there are approximately 7 million disposable takeaway cups used every single day. The cups generally have an inner plastic liner tightly bonded to the paper to that they don’t leak. These cups cannot be recycled in standard recycling plants. Did you know: Many coffee shops will give you a discount if you use your own reusable cup instead of their plastic/paper cups. A reusable coffee cup! There are so many designs to choose from and you can take them with you wherever you go. They are designed to be leak proof and to keep your drink hot. Many also have a silicone band around them to protect your hands.

4. Plastic straws are difficult to recycle and are often missed – meaning they end up on landfill. They break down into smaller pieces of plastic called microplastics. Microplastics are causing huge problems in our oceans. In the UK we use an estimated 8.5 billion plastic straws every year. Did you know: The UK government are working to ban single use straws. Many places now give paper straws with drinks. A reusable straw! Reusable straws can be made from a range of materials including stainless steel and silicone. They are long lasting and easy to clean. Metal straws usually have a silicone upper to protect your teeth.

5. Whilst plastic cutlery can be reusable, many people choose to throw them away. Most disposable cutler is made from a hard to recycle plastic called Polystyrene #6. It is estimated that close to 40 billion individual plastic utensils are thrown away every year. Did you know: It is estimated that there are 5 trillion pieces of plastic floating in the World’s oceans. Metal or bamboo cutlery! Carry your own set of cutlery with you, there is no need to use plastic cutlery. Plastic cutlery is also more likely to break when you use it than your own metal set is!

6. Since the introduction of the 5p charge for plastic carrier bags our use of them has dropped by 86%. In 2014 7.6 billion bags were issued by 7 major retailers, however in 2017-2018 just over a billion were issued. But that is still potentially a billion bags which could end up in our oceans. Did you know: A plastic bag is used for an average of 12 minutes, however it takes 500+ years for them to degrade in landfill. A reusable shopping bag! Many supermarkets have their own reusable bags that you can buy, and should it break, they will replace it for free. Cotton and jute bags are becoming very popular.

7. Most bathroom products come in plastic as it prevents leakage however many people do not recycle these bottles and they end up in landfill where they won’t biodegrade. In the USA more than 552 million shampoo bottles could be ending up in landfill. Hotels are the worst offenders as half used bottles are instantly thrown away. Did you know: If you purchase a shampoo bar from Lush and you don’t get on with it they will replace it for free! A shampoo bar! These bars are made from natural cleaning products. You use them by rubbing them over your hair into a lather and washing as usual. There are also conditioner bars.

8. A lot of tissue paper is made from recycled paper, therefore it cannot be recycled again as the fibres are too short and will result in poor pulp in the recycling process. Many people throw facial tissues into the toilet, however they do not macerate in the same way as toilet paper so they cause blockages. Did you know: You cannot recycle tissue paper! A lot of tissue paper is already made from recycled paper therefore it cannot be recycled again. Handkerchiefs! They may seem like something your grandparents would use but they are from more effective at cleaning your nose or mopping up tears than a paper tissue is.

9. Unfortunately many sanitary products end up being flushed down the toilet instead of being disposed of in a sanitary bin. These contribute to the blocking of drains and phenomena such as the ‘Fatberg’. Anything that is flushed down the toilet could eventually end up in the ocean. The plastic in a sanitary towel is generally not biodegradable. Did you know: On average a woman will use 10,500 sanitary products in their lifetime. Cloth sanitary pads / mooncups / period pants! There are so many alternatives to sanitary towels and tampons now. Cloth pads, mooncups and period pants can all be washed and used again.

10. Wipes are behind 93% or blockages in UK sewers. In some locations they are also changing the shape of rivers as they pile up on river beds and banks. Most wipes are non-biodegradable which means they will just sit in landfill. Some wipes also say they are flushable – no wipes are truly flushable! Did you know: 11,000,000,000 wet wipes and make wipes are used every single year in the UK alone. Reusable wipes! These wipes come in a variety of shapes and sizes and are very effective at removing make up and cleaning faces. They can also be used when changing babies. It is also very easy to make your own.

11. 187 billion nappies are thrown way each year and they are difficult to recycle due to the make up of materials and chemicals inside them. Instead, they will sit in landfill for hundreds of years instead. Every nappy that has ever been made, still exists! Many nappies also end up in water courses, causing pollution. Did you know: A baby will use around 6500 nappies by the time they are 2 and a half! Reusable Nappies! Any babies in your families could use reusable nappies. They are easy to use and generally contain baby poo and wee better than disposables. They are then just put into the wash.

12. Before plastic soap dispensers most people used bars of soap, however they fell out of fashion when more convenient products were invented. One bar of soap can be used to clean your entire body, rather than multiple different products – which are likely to all come in a plastic container. Did you know: Most of the toiletries in hotels are sent to landfill before they have even been half used! Soap bars! Soap bars are very cheap and effective at cleaning your hands. They are also more sanitary than a plastic pump. The packaging is usually cardboard and this can be recycled.

13. Some toothbrush companies will recycle your toothbrush – but what about all of the unbranded toothbrushes, these still account for a large number of the ones that end up on landfill. The plastic in a toothbrush is very hard to break down, meaning they stay on landfill sites. Did you know: If you use 4 plastic toothbrushes a year you would use 200 by the time you are 50. There are 66 million people in the UK…that’s 264 million toothbrushes a year! A bamboo toothbrush! A bamboo toothbrush is completely recyclable and far better for the environment – even in production. They work in exactly the same way as a normal toothbrush. They can even be thrown on the compost heap.