Westbury MP Andrew Murrison met representatives from the UK Without Incineration Network (UKWIN) at a parliamentary event to discuss plastic waste and the role of waste incineration.
The MP met Shlomo and Josh Dowen from UKWIN at the launch of the results of The Big Plastic Count at the House of Commons on 1st July. UKWIN campaigns to bring about an end to the incineration of mixed waste.
“UKWIN and I have been collaborating for years against waste incinerators in general and the one planned for Westbury in particular but it’s the first time we’ve met in person,” said Dr Murrison.
The Big Plastic Count, organised in March, saw thousands of people from schools, households, community groups and workplaces across the UK count their plastic waste for one week as part of the country’s biggest people-powered investigation into plastic waste.
The campaign is calling for a reduction in plastic production, including removing plastic packaging from uncut fruit and vegetables, stopping the construction of new waste incinerators and preventing plastic waste from being sent abroad.
At the House of Commons event, MPs heard first-hand about the results of the count and the scale of the UK’s plastic waste problem.
“I’m delighted that The Big Plastic Count is campaigning to stop the construction of new waste incinerators and to reduce the plastic packaging that feeds them,” said Dr Murrison. “59 per cent of the plastic we throw away goes for incineration, up from 46 per cent in 2022.”
Pictured: Andrew Murrison with Josh (left) and Shlomo (right)
