According to a recent report from the London Assembly Environment Committee, plastic waste is a “growing problem” for London and, “given the scale of the problem”, immediate action is required. In response, Sadiq Khan has called for a network of water fountains around London, in order to limit the problem and discourage purchase of bottled water.
However, while this governmental response is necessary and, thus, welcomed, action must be taken by the people of London. If the bottle-refill stations are not utilised, the scheme is for nil.
In spite of many recent recycling schemes, the issue of plastic waste is persistent. Despite the well-known impacts of plastic waste on quality of life for both us and our animal counter-parts, many London households do not make the effort to separate their waste into what’s recyclable and what’s not.
London’s average household recycling rate is 32%, which makes the national average of 43% look almost-acceptable. Newham, Westminster, Lewisham and Barking & Dagenham are supposedly the worst boroughs at recycling.
Sales of plastic bottled water have more than quadrupled in the last two decades, and this is not sustainable – especially in light of China’s recent ban on plastic waste imports. To put this into context, Britain relied on China to ship approximately 500,000 tonnes of plastic waste, annually: toxic plastic waste which may now have to be burnt in Britain.
Our failure to dispose of plastic waste in an acceptable way is affecting our city tangibly; you need only to look at the Thames to realise that, as individuals, Londoners need to be taking action.
Noor Mahmood, Woodford County High School
