Tests show billions of people globally are drinking water contaminated by plastic particles, with 83% of samples found to be polluted https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2017/sep/06/plastic-fibres-found-tap-water-around-world-study-reveals "The US had the highest contamination rate, at 94%, with plastic fibres found in tap water sampled at sites including Congress buildings, the US Environmental Protection Agency’s headquarters, and Trump Tower in New York. Lebanon and India had the next highest rates." "European nations including the UK, Germany and France had the lowest contamination rate, but this was still 72%." and this report is on TAP water - dont forget the fish and beaches. "the results of a study by Plymouth University caused a stir when it was reported that plastic was found in a third of UK-caught fish, including cod, haddock, mackerel and shellfish." https://www1.plymouth.ac.uk/research/mberc/Research/Marine%20pollution/Pages/Plastics.aspxhttps://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2017/feb/14/sea-to-plate-plastic-got-into-fish "The most common plastic types were Polyethylene terephtalate (PET) comprising 20% of the samples followed by Nylon 6% and Acrylic 5%. "

Now see them here at home https://www.theguardian.com/environment/gallery/2017/jun/27/ocean-plastic-pollution-scotland-in-pictures

For the full story : - http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-scotland-business-40069986

https://www.nytimes.com/2017/05/16/world/australia/henderson-island-plastic-debris-south-pacific.html?_r=0 One lady has already made an attempt at doing this and her story is in the article linked below. https://www.theguardian.com/money/2017/may/27/cut-plastic-weekly-shop-family#comment-99268926 IMHO, unless big business ceases to produce non recyclable plastics and Local Authorities continue to dump this stuff in land fill then we are going to continue to destroy the seas and land.

The old paper £5 is being replaced with a plastic note on September 13. The new note will be phased in so that by May 2017 it will have replaced the old fiver altogether – shops will then stop accepting paper £5 notes as legal tender. The Bank of England claims the new plastic pounds are: Resistant to dirt and moisture so stay cleaner for longer than paper banknotes More secure so will provide enhanced counterfeit resilience More durable so will increase the quality of banknotes in circulation Read more: http://www.thisismoney.co.uk/money/news/article-3761394/As-Royal-Mint-goes-plastic-early-banknotes-set-rise-fiver-s-new-flexible-friend.html#ixzz4IilD7DHL

I was just pottering around the internet, as you do... when I came across some interesting articles on how to reuse plastic bottles (and other plastic containers). I already do reuse these for watering ports for plants in the garden, but I was astonished at just how versatile this throwaway product can be with a little ingenuity and a couple of hours... and of course a stack of empty plastic bottles. pininterest, has some quite amazing ideas. One chap has built a canoe, another a green house, they can be reused for storing small bits and pieces such as screws/nails in the workshop or pins/cottons, etc in the craft room and all those small bits that children seem to accumulate, such as lego, and the toys from kinder eggs. Even a house.... http://www.consumeractiongroup.co.uk/forum/showthread.php?455572-How-can-we-Sort-the-Housing-Shortage-out.Many-are-without-affordable-homes.Flatpacks&p=4915265&viewfull=1#post4915265

The 5p charge on plastic bags to be introduced in October faces accusations that it will confuse customers - and doubtless lead to arguments at the checkout. The charge is being introduced as part of a government policy to reduce waste by cutting bag use by up to 80 per cent in supermarkets and by half on the high street, with the aim of reducing litter and protecting wildlife. The new rules are likely to baffle shoppers and cashiers alike, as till operators will be the ones to decide whether the charge must be paid. But before they charge you, they have to ensure the bag ‘qualifies’ as a bag. The government has issued guidelines defining what a plastic carrier bag is: it must be made of plastic, be unused, have handles and be 70 microns thick or less. Cashiers must then check if the items in your shopping qualify for a free plastic bag. Guidelines issued by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) note that you can receive a free plastic bag if your shopping includes items from a long list of exemptions, including: uncooked fish, meat and poultry products, unwrapped blades and “live aquatic creatures in water”. Also included are flowers, bulbs, potatoes and prescription drugs. http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/rules-on-5p-plastic-bags-likely-to-lead-to-arguments-at-the-check-out-10478570.html You won't get charged for plastic bags that are: for uncooked fish and fish products for uncooked meat, poultry and their products for unwrapped food for animal or human consumption - for example, chips, or food sold in containers not secure enough to prevent leakage during normal handling for unwrapped loose seeds, flowers, bulbs, corns, rhizomes (roots, stems and shoots, such as ginger) or goods contaminated by soil (such as potatoes or plants) for unwrapped blades, including axes, knives, and knife and razor blades for prescription medicine for live aquatic creatures in water woven plastic bags for goods in transport, such as at an airport or on a train, plane or ship considered as sealed packaging for mail order and click-and-collect orders (regardless of handles) returnable multiple reuse bags (bags for life) used to give away free promotional material used for a service but there’s no sale of goods, such as dry cleaning or shoe repairs A bag can contain multiple items from this list and not incur a charge. However, if the bag contains other items then you must charge. For example, you wouldn’t charge for a bag containing an unwrapped blade and unwrapped loose seeds, but adding a box of cornflakes means you’d have to charge. https://www.gov.uk/guidance/carrier-bag-charges-retailers-responsibilities

Seems stores are now going to be charging us for plastic carrier bags. Whilst I have no problem paying for these, I object strongly when these bags are plastered with the logos of the stores. IMHO, they should be paying ME to do their advertising. Anyway.. having a fair old stock of plastic bags anyway, I have knitted/crocheted my own bags out of these. They are far stronger and none of the logos show There are plenty of knitting patterns available if you google them, but these two links have proved to be useful. http://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/article-450744/Knit-shopping-bag.html http://plasticisrubbish.wordpress.com/2008/09/11/knitting-with-plastic-bags/ And I have attached a pdf for a crocheted bag. [ATTACH=CONFIG]46859[/ATTACH]