Two videos have been released by the British Plastics Federation (BPF) that aim to address public misunderstanding about plastics’ role in society and the best ways to prevent plastics waste.

One BPF video outlines how the carbon impact of plastics is relatively low when compared to alternatives. The second video explains how changes to the UK’s recycling collection system may help reduce existing consumer confusion over what should or should not be put in the recycling bin, with the potential to improve recycling levels across the country.

The videos follow recent YouGov findings, which revealed that over two-thirds of the public believe plastics packaging to be the ‘most damaging’ material in terms of greenhouse gasses emitted during its lifecycle. Research into the environmental impact of plastics indicates this is not in fact the case. The Green Alliance recently cautioned against swapping plastics for other materials due to the unforeseen negative consequences it may have for the planet.

Director general of the BPF, Philip Law, said: “We hope that through widely sharing content such as these videos, we can help clear up public misunderstanding about plastics. Policymakers and the media need to take note. By turning away from plastics we may do a lot more harm to our environment than good. We must ensure we work together to make the best choices for our planet, and plastics has an important role to play in fighting climate change.”

The videos can be viewed here and here.