What do I do if I miss a day of counting?

If everyone does seven whole days, we get better data. But don’t worry if you miss a day of counting – when you submit your results, you can select how many days you counted for. Your data is still important.

What if I miss an item of plastic?

If everyone counts all their plastic waste, we get better data. But if you miss something, don’t worry! Your data is still important.

How do I work out which category to put an item in?

Use your instinct and judgement to categorise your plastic – you’ll probably get it right! But if you’re still unsure and would like some more help, check out our Plastic ID Tool where you can find a long list of examples and definitions.

What aren’t we counting?

We are only interested in counting plastic packaging waste, so you don’t need to include plasters, dog poo bags, plastic cutlery or period products.

We are also excluding milk/juice cartons (TetraPak), Pringles tubes, and coffee cups, as they are made of a mix of materials.

We recognise that some plastic products are essential for Disabled people, or people with medical conditions. That’s why we aren’t counting plastic used for healthcare reasons, like plastic straws or medication blister packs.

Check out our Plastic ID tool if you’re still unsure what to count.

What if we use a lot of plastic?

Please remember, you shouldn't feel guilty about the amount of plastic you use! Too much single-use plastic is being produced and there aren’t reusable alternatives that suit everyone’s needs. Together, we’re gathering the evidence we need to push for proper action on plastic.

What should I do with my plastic afterwards?

Dispose of your plastic waste in the same way you would normally – reuse what you can, recycle what you can and throw away the rest. We know it may feel disheartening, but you’re doing your bit, and with the evidence you’re helping us build, we’ll push the government, big brands, and supermarkets to do theirs.

The Big Plastic Count takes place during Ramadan – how will this affect my Count?

For Muslims observing Ramadan, we know that normal patterns of eating and drinking are different. We get that your plastic usage might be a bit different to usual, as well! That’s completely fine – your data on the plastic you use at home and in your local mosque helps us get the full picture of how much plastic is used in the UK. Lots of mosques already opt for a reduced-plastic or plastic-free Ramadan too, such as by providing reusable water bottles.

Your Ramadan count will help us put pressure on the government, supermarkets and big brands to cut plastic production and tackle our plastic waste problem. It's also their responsibility to provide refillable and reusable alternatives to throw-away plastic that work for everyone.

Getting Involved

How can I get my school/class involved?

It’s fantastic that you want to empower your pupils to be a part of ending the plastics crisis! Registering your class or school to take part in The Big Plastic Count is easy, so if you haven't done so already, sign up now!

I teach my children at home, can I take part as a school? 

Definitely! You can sign up to take part by signing up.

You will need to manually add the details of your home school to access all the resources and information about how to take part.

Our school isn’t based in the UK. Can we still take part?

Unfortunately not, as we are investigating how much plastic is used in UK households, and analysing this evidence based on data about UK recycling and waste management. Data from outside of the UK will muddle our results a bit, and we need the evidence to be as accurate as possible so that we can put pressure on the UK government.

What will I receive to help me take part?

Once you sign up, you’ll be sent a step-by-step teacher guide, assembly presentation, learning activities, and a pack to help pupils take part in the survey. There’s even a ready-made letter home to parents and carers, and ways to share the information about signing up with colleagues – it’s more fun to get your whole school involved! Read more information about how schools can take part.

Will this be a lot of extra work for me?

We know that teachers have a lot on their plates, so we’ve made it as easy as possible to get your pupils involved. Our education packs have been written specifically with teachers in mind, and include everything you’ll need to take part (see the question above for the pack contents).

I took part with my class last time, can we compare our results?

As most teachers’ classes change annually, you can’t compare your results from previous years within the dashboard. But if you have access to your previous class profile (previously called footprint), you could compare the results as a class activity. We will also be releasing an analysis of how the national results compare. As individuals, we have limited choice about how much plastic we use. It’s governments and big businesses who have the power and responsibility to tackle the plastic waste crisis.

How can I take part with my household if I’ve registered as a teacher?

You can still take part at home if you’ve registered as a teacher! We suggest you use a different email address to make it easier to keep track of your accounts.

Signing Up

I’m a teacher and I can’t find my school in the drop-down list. What should I do?

If you’ve signed up as a teacher and can’t find your school or other education institution in the list, you’ll be given the option to manually add your school. Schools that are manually added won’t be visible to other teachers and teachers in the same school won’t be able to connect their classes. You’ll still find all the resources and information you need to take part on your dashboard.

If you had to add your school manually, but still want to find out your whole school's plastic profile, once each of your school’s classes have submitted their results, you can generate each class’s plastic profile. You can then use these to work out the average plastic profile – it makes for a fun Maths activity to do in class!

I signed my class up to take part in The Big Plastic Count, and I’m showing as anonymous / my colleagues can’t find me

We understand that some people want to protect their data and privacy by not being visible to other users from the same school. When you signed up to take part, you would have selected to not be visible to your colleagues. Unfortunately, this cannot be changed after signing up.

Schools that are manually added won’t be visible to other teachers, and teachers in the same school won’t be able to connect their classes.

You’ll still find all the resources and information you need to take part on your dashboard.

Is my class in my school visible to teachers in other schools who’ve signed-up?

No, only teachers in your school can see you if you have selected to appear to others in your school. No one outside your school can see you, or any of your or your class’s data on the dashboard.

Submitting Data

How can my pupils submit their results?

To ensure your pupils' data is included in the national results, they’ll need to submit their findings by 22 March. Pupils can do this via the unique class link on your dashboard.

Pupils can still submit their results and receive their personal profile after 22 March, and you can also generate class and school plastic profiles. But their data won't be included in the national analysis of the results.

Is my pupils' data anonymous?

Your pupils will enter their data using their unique class link. They will be asked to enter their first name and the first two letters of their last name. This is so you know which pupils have entered their data. You can amend any submissions you need to, and generate pupils' individual profiles. Your pupils are only identifiable to you. Other teachers in the same school and other teachers signed up for The Big Plastic Count can’t see your pupils' data. We don’t collect any other personal data from pupils.

Why does each pupil's data need to be submitted individually?

Each pupil's data needs to be submitted as an individual entry, and not combined into one submission. This means we can get an accurate understanding of plastic use per household. So if there is more than one pupil from the same household taking part, please make sure this data is only submitted once, so that the data collected by this citizen science investigation is as accurate as possible. But we know teachers are busy, and it could be hard to keep track, so please don't worry if mistakes happen!

Can my pupils get their own individual plastic profile?

As well as finding out your class’s plastic profile, as a teacher you’ll also have the option to see and print your class members’ individual plastic profiles too. Once a pupil has submitted their data, you’ll be able to see it by selecting your class from your dashboard, viewing the pupil’s data and selecting ‘Generate Pupil Profile’.

What if my pupil enters their data incorrectly?

That’s no problem! If you select your class from your dashboard, and select the pupil whose data has been inputted incorrectly, you’ll be able to amend their data.

How do I submit my results?

Please scan the QR code at the bottom of your Count Sheet or visit the submission page. Remember – you won’t be able to submit your results until after The Big Plastic Count week (9-15 March).

If you’re taking part as a school, you can find your unique class link for your pupils to submit their results on your dashboard.

When do I need to submit my results by?

The deadline for submitting your results is 22 March 2026.

Can I compare my previous footprint with my new plastic profile?

Yes, you can.

If you’ve taken part in The Big Plastic Count before, you’ll be able to compare your past results with your new plastic profile.

Because we want to make sure everyone can take part in The Big Plastic Count.

Around 1 in 5 people in the UK are disabled, and many more face barriers because of language, time, caring responsibilities, faith needs, or sensory overload. If information or spaces aren’t accessible, people are excluded – often unintentionally.

For us, accessibility isn’t an extra or a “nice to have”. It’s central to how we work.

When we design things to be accessible, we:

• Reach and engage more people

• Build trust with communities most affected by environmental injustice

• Share our message with warmth and clarity, without talking down to anyone

• Make it easier for people to take action in ways that work for them

Accessibility equals inclusion. When it works for people who face the biggest barriers, it works better for everyone.

Can we take part with our community group or colleagues?

We’d love community groups and workplaces to join The Big Plastic Count! Simply sign up individually and as individuals and check in as a group throughout the week. You can then share your results between yourselves.

Why is The Big Plastic Count only over one week?

The aim for The Big Plastic Count is to get lots and lots of people involved, counting their household plastic packaging. One week is enough time to collect useful data without taking up too much of people's time.

How do you work out my plastic profile?

Once we have a school or household’s count results, we apply national data on different types of plastic to calculate how much, on average, would be collected for recycling, what’s then likely to happen to it, and what that means for your profile.

Does the survey track my plastic?

It’s not possible for the survey to specifically track where plastic from your household is sent.

What data sets does the survey use?

Vital data about quantity and type of plastic packaging is being generated through this citizen science research project. Assumptions about how much plastic is collected and where it ends up is from RECOUP and WRAP data.

Why aren’t we counting TetraPak?

TetraPak is a multi-material packaging, and different parts enter different waste streams.

The same applies to sandwich packaging, coffee cups, Pringles tubes and other similar products that have a coating and/or don’t allow you to separate the different materials.

The data on recycling rates for TetraPak and other composite material is not readily available.

Why aren’t we counting medical products?

Medical products are not part of the count because they’re essential. It’s not appropriate for every type of packaging to transition to reusable options. For example, some medical equipment is sterile on use and then disposed of. Medication also comes in plastic packaging, and many medical supplies that Disabled people rely on are plastic too.

Why are you working on plastic when climate change is the biggest threat?

Plastic is part of the climate change problem. Almost all plastics are made from fossil fuels – coal, oil, or gas – and emit greenhouse gases at every single stage of their lifecycle. If we produce less plastic, we can reduce emissions. The 'remove, reduce, reuse, refill, recycle' economy we’re pushing for is a vital step towards tackling climate change.

Why are you focusing on the government rather than individual plastic consumption?

Only the government can make the changes we need to solve the plastic problem – like putting policies in place to limit plastic production and prioritise reusable packaging that caters to everyone's needs.

What are we actually asking the government to do?

In 2025, negotiations for a Global Plastics Treaty unfortunately broke down due to the power of Big Oil. However, the UK government did stand strong and push for an ambitious agreement.

We’re asking for the UK government to be equally ambitious in their domestic policy to drive the reduction in plastic production we so critically need.

Has The Big Plastic Count happened before?

Yes, twice – in 2022 and 2024! Nearly half a million people from schools, households and communities across the country took part, counting over 11 million pieces of plastic between them.

Why is it happening again in 2026?

Our findings made it clear: recycling can’t fix the plastics crisis. That’s why The Big Plastic Count is back and this time, we’re not only measuring the scale of the problem, we’re also collecting crucial data about where this plastic packaging is coming from.

What’s planned for after 2026?

In 2025, The Big Plastic Count started a new chapter which runs through until 2028, thanks to The National Lottery Community Fund.

Over the next few years, we’ll bring new voices to the front of our work. We'll explore how plastic affects our climate and our communities. And we'll look at the whole plastic lifecycle – from how it's made to what happens when it's thrown away.

Why has The Big Plastic Count switched from “plastic footprint” to “plastic profile”?

The idea of a 'carbon footprint' was created by the oil company BP in the early 2000s, shifting attention away from big polluters and towards individual behaviour.

We don’t want the same thing to happen with plastic. By using plastic 'profile' instead of plastic 'footprint', The Big Plastic Count avoids placing the burden on individuals and keeps the focus where it needs to be: on the systems, policies, and companies that shape how plastic is produced and managed.

What will we do with your data?

We’ll combine your data with the data of everyone who takes part in The Big Plastic Count. We'll then crunch the numbers to figure out how much plastic the UK throws away and where it ends up. We'll take these findings directly to the government. That means the more people who count, the better our data, the greater the evidence we'll have to push for change!

When will the results be published?

The results of The Big Plastic Count will be published in late April 2026.

How do I get my MP involved?

It’s really important that MPs hear that their constituents want proper action on plastic waste.

You can encourage your MP to take part in The Big Plastic Count by writing to them.

When you submit your results, there is an opportunity to write to your MP to express your concern and highlight the scale of the plastics crisis.

What happened with the Global Plastics Treaty?

In 2024, The Big Plastic Count was pushing for the UK government to support an ambitious Global Plastics Treaty. The Global Plastics Treaty is a United Nations–led agreement aiming to tackle the full life cycle of plastic pollution – from production to disposal. It’s the most ambitious global effort to curb plastic waste and pollution.

In 2025, negotiations for a Global Plastics Treaty unfortunately broke down due to the power of Big Oil. The next steps for the negotiations are unclear at this stage.

That’s why it’s more important than ever for the UK to be leading with ambitious national policies to tackle the plastics crisis.

Led by Everyday Plastic, The Big Plastic Count is all about working together.

We’re partnering with Global Learning London, Disability Rights UK, and Keele University. These organisations bring important knowledge and experience of racial justice, disability inclusion, and research.

We've also created five Advisory Groups in Aberdeen, Birmingham, Cardiff, Leeds, and Tower Hamlets. These groups reflect the communities we most want to reach. Their lives, local knowledge and views will shape the future of The Big Plastic Count.

We’re also working with Plastic Clever Schools as our education partner.

Being a partner means that the organisation supports The Big Plastic Count and encourages its supporters and staff to take part.

A Fair Future

The Big Plastic Count imagines a fair future where everyone can take action on the plastics crisis, plus the wider problems it's linked to, like pollution and climate change. Visit our A Fair Future page to learn more.

Plastics crisis

The global problem caused by the overproduction, use, destruction and disposal of plastic – which harms the environment, wildlife, and human health.

Climate crisis

The global emergency caused by rising greenhouse gas emissions, leading to extreme weather, floods, droughts, and ecosystem loss, harming people and the planet.