Between 2013 and 2018, NHS services across England used more than 600 million disposable cups and millions of other disposable cutlery pieces, as well as many other avoidable single-use clinical and non-clinical plastic items. While much NHS plastic waste is already recovered for recycling or energy from waste we are still a significant contributor to the 34 billion tonnes of plastic that will pollute our natural environment by 2050.

Providers, retailers and suppliers to the NHS, as well as a number of partner organisations, to sign up to a plastic reduction pledge.

Trusts, retailers and suppliers that have signed the pledge are asked to provide NHS England with four data-submissions on the volumes of single-use plastic catering items purchased.