My everyday plastic experience: big plastic count by Toqueer Ahmed Quyyam
- Toqueer Ahmed Quyyam
- 21 hours ago
- 4 min read
Hello, I recently joined the Every day plastic was last, year, i am part of a Birmingham group of 5 people. I am am passionate advocate for recycling, even more so with the Birmingham bin strikes which have passed one year, where the city council has not collected recycled bin.
I hope to educate people and hopefully inspire people that we can all do our bit for the envirornment
Facts about plastic in the UK
As of 2026, the UK generates approximately 98.66 kg of plastic waste per capita annually, totaling 2.5 million tonnes of packaging waste. New 2026 regulations, including mandatory household waste separation (March) and increased Plastic Packaging Tax (£228.82/tonne from April), aim to tackle the 44.2% recycling rate. Key initiatives include the upcoming Deposit Return Scheme from 2028.
types of household plastics that can be recycled.
Bottles: Milk bottles, drink bottles, shampoo, shower gel, and cleaning product bottles (e.g., bleach, detergent).
Pots, Tubs, and Trays: Yoghurt pots, margarine tubs, ice cream tubs, and fruit/meat punnets.
I will be sharing my journey,
The types of plastic that i use of from milk containers, pop bottles, yoguart conatiners shower gel and cleaning products, for me in was interesting to educate myself of where the information about recycling can be found. There are also soft plastic such as break packets, information is found on it.
Visit to Moseley Exchange
I am also interested to to visit Moseley where there is a place where people can take their crisp wrappers, it would be interesting to speak to them and find out how well its used and how easy it is for others to learn and corporate it to it.
Birmingham has the lowest recycling rates in England, in 2026 figues Birmingham recycling plastic rates was 22.5 percent.
I was met by a warm staff member and after mentioning that i was part of every day plastic birmingham group and that i wanted to know about the recycle hub. I was shown it, a large functioning hub with holes for different items such as crisps wrappers and bread wrappers. I was told that its well used. I wanted to share this so that community groups across Birmingham to connect to learn from them.
Community iftaars- the challenge
Community iftaars in Birmingham is a way to bring community and people together over iftaar(breaking the fast) all are welcome, muslims and people of other faiths and no faith. The challenge i s disposable cutlery is used to serve 1000s of people, many mosques do this every day over Ramadan. convenience and logistics is the main reason i think, as time is shorty to wash plates as prayers time come very quickly and their are lots of other priorities such as events and talks over the month.
What are the solutions?
I would say to need education as well as a change in mindset and do this to need a consistent message and actionable ways for people to feel empowered. A goofd example was Green lane mosque from small heath going plastic free for ramadan in 2019, it can be done, they educated the community as well as give discounted reusable bottles to the community of 4000. They put in refil waster stations across the mosque to support people too. I supported them, connecting them with Eco birmingham, a local charity which supported them with their magazine media work. I was really himbled to do my bit to bring groups together, its a passion of mine and over the 8 years eco camapigning experience.
My plastic free count experience
I am already well aware of plastic and why is not good for their Envirornment, been part of the count for me was still a very important leraning experience, there are things that i did not know.
Did you know.
There are different types of plastic for same product such as milk cartons, the carton, the strip and the top.
what can be recycled?
Plastic Bottles: Drinks bottles, milk bottles, shampoo/conditioner bottles, soap bottles, cleaning product bottles, bleach bottles.
Pots, Tubs, and Trays: Yogurt pots, margarine tubs, ice cream tubs, fruit/vegetable punnets, meat trays, and ready meal trays.
Other: Cleaning product triggers (often removed) and lids can sometimes be recycled if replaced on the bottle.
you also have soft plastics such as carrier bags,
Plastic carrier bags and delivery bags.
Bread bags, frozen food bags, and cereal liners.
Crisp packets, sweet wrappers, and biscuit wrapping.
I normally buy all my food in one go and only buy crisps every day, i eat out generally, i have found that i do recycle. I can do better my using my resusable coffee cup and bottle more when i go out and cooking home more and reusing my plastic tub to store food to last longer. I have also learnt that there are alternatives such as plastic free soap and detergent, its best to do your research, there is also clean kilo a zero waste shop in stirchley Birmingham where they sell nuts and detergents, fruit and veg. Supermarkets know accept plastic from fruit and veg and also its worth buying products that have a best before date, which is fine, always best to do quality check, using your senses such as smell and look at texture and colour of product, increasing the shelf life hopefully will mean buying less too.
I feel inspired to make a change and i am glad that every day plastic are doing such amazing work, i recommend people to follow them on socials and why not get involved in the count in 2027, in meantime lets all do our bit for the climate and reduce our plastic, its the best thing in the world. Thank you.
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