A new report from the Marine Conservation Society (MCS) has revealed an 80 percent decline in the number of plastic bags found on UK beaches over the past decade. This significant reduction is attributed to the introduction of fees for single-use plastic bags by large retailers in 2015, a policy that has proven to be a game-changer in the fight against plastic pollution.
The single-use plastic bag fee policy, which began in England in 2015, required retailers with 250 or more full-time employees to charge at least 5 pence per plastic bag. This initiative was later adopted across the UK, with Northern Ireland, Scotland, and Wales implementing similar charges in 2011, 2013, and 2014, respectively. The fee was increased to 10 pence in England and Scotland in 2021, and it currently stands at 25 pence in Northern Ireland. Wales has announced plans to ban single-use plastic bags entirely by 2026.
The annual beach litter survey conducted by the MCS has been a critical tool in tracking the impact of this policy. Last year, MCS volunteers found 4,684 single-use plastic bags on UK beaches and the Channel Islands, a dramatic reduction compared to previous years. The average number of plastic bags found per 100 meters of coastline has dropped from five bags in 2014 to just one in recent surveys.
Lizzie Price, Beachwatch manager at the MCS, expressed her satisfaction with the results, stating, “It is brilliant to see policies on single-use plastics such as carrier bag charges working. There is no doubt that these policies have been extremely successful in reducing this frequently littered item.”
The UK’s progress in reducing plastic bag pollution is part of a broader global movement. In the United States, plastic bag bans in three states and two major cities have cut single-use plastic bags by about 6 billion per year. Similarly, in Australia, a plastic bag ban by two major grocery chains reduced single-use plastic bags by 1.5 billion in just three months.
Despite the success in reducing plastic bag pollution, the MCS report highlights ongoing challenges in addressing other forms of plastic litter. The latest beach surveys have shown an increase in drinks-related plastic litter, such as bottles and cans, and an overall 1.2 percent increase in plastic litter across UK beaches. Last year, 97 percent of surveyed beaches had drinks-related litter, and the five most common items found were plastic pieces measuring 2.5-30cm, crisp and sandwich wrappers, caps and lids, plastic string and cord, and plastic bottles and containers.
In response to these findings, the UK government enacted a ban in October 2023 on plastic cutlery, polystyrene cups, food containers, balloon sticks, and other single-use plastics. However, as The Conversation reported, this ban did not extend to single-use plastic packaging, highlighting the need for broader measures to tackle plastic pollution.
Lizzie Price emphasized the importance of expanding these policies, stating, “Our volunteer surveys show 9 out of 10 beach litter items are made from plastic, and drinks-related litter, like bottles and cans, were found on 97 percent of UK beaches surveyed last year.”
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