500 Tonnes Of Plastic Waste Generated By Children’s Lost Toys Every Year in Ireland
Research has revealed that children’s lost toys generate almost 500 tonnes of plastic waste per year in Ireland, the equivalent of over 30 million plastic bottles ending up in landfill.
90 percent of toys sold globally are made from plastic.
With up to 5.5 million plastic toys lost permanently every year in Ireland, these present a significant waste problem.
What’s more, toys alone don’t show the full extent of Ireland’s lost property problem.
Children permanently lose 13 possessions every year on average, equating to a staggering 13 million items lost per year in total in Ireland, many of which have a high plastic content.
The study, which was conducted amongst Irish parents by leading name label manufacturer My Nametags found that toys are the most commonly lost item by children, with almost half of parents (47 percent) stating that their youngsters have mislaid a plaything.
This is closely followed by socks (36 percent), stationery (30 percent) and cuddly toys (23 percent).
The findings reveal the staggering lost property problem in Ireland, not just for parents’ pockets but the environment too, with all four of the most commonly lost items containing high proportions of unsustainable materials, including plastic.
Interestingly, almost a quarter of parents admitted that their child most commonly loses reusable plastic water bottles.
This demonstrates that even measures intended to reduce children’s impact on the environment could be having an adverse effect.
Commenting on the findings, Dr. Sally Beken, Founder of the UK Circular Plastics Network and Head of Polymers at KTN, said:
"By losing garments that could be passed on and ultimately recycled, we are missing an opportunity to make clothing more sustainable.
Highlighting the scale of the problem is the first step to remedying it.
After littering, incineration and landfill are the worst scenarios for textiles that are no longer useful.
There are some novel solutions to the circularity of polymers and synthetic textiles that are starting to develop that will mean if we can capture garments, we can revalue them as starting materials for new plastic products.”
The research also reveals the stark contrast between what we believe happens to lost items and what actually happens.
Of those surveyed, almost one in five believe that items will always be returned to them, with just nine percent accepting that their lost property is likely to end up in landfill.
However, when asked how often lost possessions are returned, parents revealed that 66 percent of the time lost items are never found.
This suggests that as many as two thirds of lost items could be ending up in landfill.
Families’ attitudes to replacing lost property were also highlighted by the research. Over one in 10 Irish parents admitted to replacing lost items as soon as possible using online shopping.
This approach adds to the environmental impact of lost property, particularly when considering the additional emissions generated by delivery. Interestingly, only 24 percent of parents said they currently take measures to reduce future lost property, such as using name labels.
Lars B. Andersen, Managing Director at My Nametags, comments:
"Children’s lost property is a significant problem, not just for parents who have to replace the lost items, but for the environment too.
We all know there is a climate crisis, and everyone is doing their bit to reduce their impact on the planet, whether that is eating less meat, reducing use of single-use plastics, or installing energy-efficient light bulbs.
However, there remains a gap in our knowledge about the impact that lost property could be having on the environment.
Clothing is a key example of this.
Many fabrics used to create children’s clothes and accessories include synthetic fibres made from plastic.
As a result, when these items are unnecessarily lost, it can have a big impact on the planet.
To help parents reduce the environmental impact of lost items, we have put together a list of top tips for preventing lost property and ingenious hacks to make clothing last longer.”
