# Charities waste millions of plastic collection bags every year, claims recycling company

- Link: https://fundraising.co.uk/2013/10/04/charities-waste-millions-plastic-collection-bags-every-year-claims-recycling-company/
- Published: 2013-10-04T23:11:58+01:00
- Author: Howard Lake

Over 500,000 plastic charity bags are thrown away unused, according to waste and
recycling company BusinessWaste. The company wants charities to restrict the practice
of giving out plastic bags for doorstep donations.

[BusinessWaste.co.uk](http://www.businesswaste.co.uk)‘s Recycling Director Mark 
Hall said: “The problem with these bags is their convenience. As a call to action
they’re reasonably effective for the charities involved, but in terms of waste, 
they’re horrendous.

“If charities and their agents are unable to find a better solution, we call on 
government to consider a ban.”

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## The scale of the problem

Referring to statistics collated by one [charity bags website](http://www.charitybags.org.uk),
Businesswaste says that “60% of the UK’s households receive an average of 25 charity
bags per year”.

Overall 525,000,000 bags are delivered across Britain annually, or 2,625 tonnes 
of them. Yet only 3% of bags are filled and left out on collection day. As a result,
509 million bags or over 2,500 tonnes are not used for their intended purpose.

Hall added: “That figure is just for a single year. There must be billions of these
bags either filling up kitchen cupboards or going straight into landfill. Something
has to be done to stop this tide of waste.”

## An alternative approach?

BusinessWaste suggests the charities consider:

 * Using more bio-degradable bags, or US-style paper sacks
 * Deliver leaflets or sticky labels to encourage households to use their own bags
   and boxes
 * Encourage alternative means of making a donation

In addition, the general public can help by:

 * Putting up a sign asking charities not to leave bags
 * Leaving empty bags on your doorstep to be reused
 * Making donations direct to charity shops or recycling bins

BusinessWaste has previously called upon authorities in England to follow the examples
of Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland to introduce charges for supermarket carrier
bags and reduce the massive waste and environmental damage they cause. It recognises
that its message to charities could generate opposition given the income that donated
goods bring.

But Hall is adamant: “In their attempts at doing good, charities are also inadvertently
doing the environment no favours. Something’s got to be done.”

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