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This study explores the motivations and best practices for reducing single-use plastic at higher education institutions in the UK. It examines current initiatives, barriers to change, and compares efforts internationally. The aim is to determine the extent of prioritization, implications of alternatives, and when an institution considers itself single-use plastic free. Research methods include a best practice framework and in-depth interviews with key personnel. Expected results include insights into catering initiatives, lack of communication, and student-driven initiatives.
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Single-use plastic reduction at higher education institutions in the UK: motivations and best practice. David Burt MSc Climate Change and Environmental Policy School of Earth and Environment ee18djsb@leeds.ac.uk
WHAT HAPPENS TO IT? 6300 Mt of plastic waste 9% recycled 12% incinerated 79% Landfill/environment (Geyer et al., 2017)
OCEAN PLASTIC (Ellen MacArthur Foundation, 2017; Ward, 2018)
UK PLASTIC WASTE 45% recycled Plastic found in all 10 rivers sampled in UK Plastic found in all stranded marine animals sampled Plastic found in 74% of sampled tap water A third of UK fish caught in South-West England had ingested plastic (WRAP, 2013; Tyree and Morrison, 2017; Dunn, 2019; DEFRA, 2019; Nelms et al., 2019)
WHAT IS BEING DONE? • 60 companies, promised that 100 percent of plastic packaging will be reusable, recyclable or compostable by 2025 • Ban on microbeads • 5p plastic bag levy • Ban on plastic straws, cotton buds, stirrers • Bottle deposit scheme – in consultation • Tax on plastic packaging (<30% recycled) – in consultation (DEFRA, 2018c; DEFRA, 2018b; DEFRA, 2018a; HM Treasury, 2018; WRAP, 2018; DEFRA, 2018d)
CURRENT UNIVERSITY INITIATIVES A number of Universities pledged to go single-use plastic free Focus on catering
RESEARCH AIMS Best Practice What is best practice Sharing of best practise Future plans Barriers to change Comparison to international efforts Motivations Determine the issue Identify what is driving the change Implications of alternatives Extent of prioritisation over other issues Establish when the institution considers itself single-use plastic free
METHODS Best practise framework In-depth interviews Higher education institutions in the UK Key personnel behind plastic reduction initiatives
EXPECTED RESULTS Catering Initiatives Lack of communication Student driven Early pledge dates and relatively low success criteria
REFERENCES DEFRA 2018a. Deposit return scheme in fight against plastic. Department of Environment, Food and Rural Affairs [DEFRA]. GOV.UK. [Online]. [Accessed 3 November 2018]. Available from: https://www.gov.uk/government/news/deposit-return-scheme-in-fight-against-plastic. DEFRA 2018b. Single use plastic: banning the distribution and/or sale of plastic straws, stirrers and plastic-stemmed cotton buds in England. Department of Environment, Food and Rural Affairs [DEFRA]. GOV.UK. [Online]. [Accessed 7 November 2018]. Available from: https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/single-use-plastic-banning-the-distribution-andor-sale-of-plastic-straws-stirrers-and-plastic-stemmed-cotton-buds-in-england. DEFRA 2018c. Single-use plastic carrier bags charge: data in England for 2017 to 2018. Department of Environment, Food and Rural Affairs [DEFRA]. GOV.UK. [Online]. [Accessed 1 November 2018]. Available from: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/carrier-bag-charge-summary-of-data-in-england/single-use-plastic-carrier-bags-charge-data-in-england-for-2017-to-2018. DEFRA 2019. UK statistics on waste. Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs. DEFRA 2018d. World leading microbeads ban comes into force. Department of Environment, Food and Rural Affairs [DEFRA]. GOV.UK. [Online]. [Accessed 3 November 2018]. Available from: https://www.gov.uk/government/news/world-leading-microbeads-ban-comes-into-force. Dunn, C. 2019. Microplastic pollution widespread in British lakes and rivers - new study – News and Events, Bangor University. Bangor University. [Online]. [Accessed 17 March 2019]. Available from: https://www.bangor.ac.uk/news/latest/microplastic-pollution-widespread-in-british-lakes-and-rivers-new-study-40043. Ellen MacArthur Foundation 2017. The new plastics economy: rethinking the future of plastics & catalysing action.
REFERENCES Geyer, R., Jambeck, J.R. and Law, K.L. 2017. Production, use, and fate of all plastics ever made. Science Advances. 3(7), p.e1700782. HM Treasury 2018. Budget 2018: Single use plastic. Nelms, S.E., Barnett, J., Brownlow, A., Davison, N.J., Deaville, R., Galloway, T.S., Lindeque, P.K., Santillo, D. and Godley, B.J. 2019. Microplastics in marine mammals stranded around the British coast: ubiquitous but transitory? Scientific Reports. 9(1). Tyree, C. and Morrison, D. 2017. Invisibles: the plastic inside us. Orb Media. [Online]. [Accessed 17 March 2019]. Available from: http://orbmedia.org/stories/Invisibles_plastics/. Ward, S. 2018. Single use plastic, not fantastic. Climate Change Unfolding. [Online]. [Accessed 16 March 2019]. Available from: https://www.climatechangeunfolding.com/tag/plastic-free/. WRAP 2013. Recovered plastic imports and exports | WRAP UK. [Accessed 17 March 2019]. Available from: http://www.wrap.org.uk/content/recovered-plastic-imports-and-exports. WRAP 2018. The UK Plastics Pact | WRAP UK. WRAP.org. [Online]. [Accessed 17 March 2019]. Available from: http://www.wrap.org.uk/content/the-uk-plastics-pact.
