Survey reveals two-thirds of people in Portsmouth are unsure on how and where to recycle plastic

However, 79 per cent of people told researchers they would recycle more if there were more options available.

Researchers from the University of Portsmouth’s Revolution Plastics initiative surveyed 400 permanent residents on their plastic consumption, purchase, use and disposal habits.

Many of those who took part felt there was a lack of information and opportunity for recycling, with 65 per cent of people saying they often did not know how or where to recycle plastic items.

Only paper, card, plastic bottles, metal cans, tins and aerosols are recycled from the kerbside in Portsmouth. The current recycling rate of all waste for Portsmouth is 24.7 per cent, well below the national average of 46.2 per cent.

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Professor Steve Fletcher, director of the Global Plastics Policy Centre and Revolution Plastics at the university said: ‘As both a coastal city and the second most densely populated environment in the UK, Portsmouth can provide critical insights into the role of plastics in everyday life.

‘Understanding how people use plastic items within households is important to inform effective policy development, particularly with the emerging and developing global plastic treaty.’

Lead researcher, Stephanie Northern from Revolution Plastics added: ‘Our findings show that although consumers have a role to play in plastic use and recycling, their behaviour is heavily influenced by factors which are largely out of their control, such as price and availability. Ultimately it is not consumers who should be responsible for systemic change. This responsibility lies with those who are in charge of plastic policy.’