Dropping the odd piece of litter may feel minor, but the consequences have a considerable cost. In fact, litter is having a catastrophic effect on wildlife, the ecosystem, the food chain, and the future of our planet. It also costs taxpayers millions every year. Ruth Walker has created a piece that looks at the real cost of litter.

 

 

         There are 46,000 pieces of plastic for every square meter of the ocean

         38.5 million plastic bottles are used in the UK every year, and only half are recycled

         Local authorities dealt with 1 million incidents 2016-2017 at the cost of £50m.

 

Find out about the real price of litter in the infographic below.