Trash Hero UK visited a primary school in Tiverton, Devon. They had the opportunity to speak to pupils about the issues of recycling and what we should do instead, hosted a workshop which consisted of reading the Trash Hero Kids book; a small cleanup, and a discussion on the important differences between reuse and single-use. The children’s enthusiasm and engagement were truly inspiring. They asked thoughtful questions and offered valuable suggestions for reducing waste within the school and their daily lives. Their participation demonstrates a genuine interest in environmental issues and a willingness to make a positive impact. If you would like Trash Hero UK to visit your school and share their important message, please do not hesitate to contact them at hello@trashhero.org.uk

Trash Hero are delighted to announce their half-year impact numbers. In the first 6 months of the year, 22,887 volunteers took part in 1,275 community cleanups. They collected 83,126kg of trash an average of 459kg a day! As of 30th June 2024, Trash Hero have been active in 102 locations, in 13 countries.

In total, since December 2013 the organisation has:

• organised 22,113 cleanups.
• collected 2,534,487 kg of trash.
• mobilised 538,530 volunteers, including 146,237 under 16s.

They have also distributed 109,828 reusable water bottles, saving over 41 million single-use plastic bottles, and preventing 2,087 tonnes of CO2 emissions.

What keeps Trash Hero volunteers organising regular cleanups year round? Perhaps the secret lies in their regular Trash Hero Family Meetings. Here, the chapter teams can network, share and better understand the “why” behind our actions. It’s an intense and often deep experience that takes place over 3 days, covering:
– Knowledge building: workshops and presentations on the issues surrounding plastic pollution.
– Skill strengthening: building capacity for community leadership.
– Boosting motivation: creating positive energy and inspiration through sharing and connecting with others.
As one volunteer from Thailand put it: “There is no other seminar as worthwhile to the soul and to the world“. Read more about it HERE.

This month the team at Trash Hero have been focusing on the consumption of microplastics through food and air. Recent studies have shown that the amount varies depending on your location. This microplastics map reveals which countries are consuming the most. When it comes to dietary intake, countries in Southeast Asia such as Indonesia, Malaysia and the Philippines topped the charts. In fact, according to the study, Indonesians eat about 15 grams of microplastics every month, more than any other country, with the majority coming from aquatic sources such as seafood. By comparison, dietary intake in the U.S. was roughly 2.4 grams per month. For microplastic inhalation, Mongolia and China came in joint first place, with citizens of both countries inhaling more than 2.8 million microplastic particles a month. The UK came in third place, in joint place with Ireland, inhaling 791,500 particles per month. By comparison, the U.S. came in near the bottom of this list, in position 104 out of the 109 countries assessed, with only 10,500 microplastic particles inhaled per month. Find our more HERE.

Trash Hero Indonesia, co-authored a ground-breaking report on sachet pollution in Southeast Asia with Break Free From Plastic. The report highlights the urgency of addressing this growing issue. Trash Hero Indonesia trained and mobilised volunteers across the country to collect data. Over 450 volunteers participated identifying over 1,200 brands from nearly 10,000 collected sachets. For more information read the Trash Hero blog post and to find out more about the issue of sachets watch this reel.

Trash Hero have recently highlighted that new, peer-reviewed research shows a direct 1:1 correlation between increasing plastic production from FMCG companies and plastic pollution in the environment. Further, only 56 companies are responsible for more than half of pollution globally – with Coca Cola alone taking 11% of the share. These companies, along with other plastics industry lobbyists are at the fourth session of the Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee which took place from 23 -29th April in Ottawa, Canada. The aim was to develop an international legally binding instrument on plastic pollution, including in the marine environment. Click HERE to read more.

Empowered young people are key to solving plastic pollution. To ignite that change, Trash Hero has created a free online course: Educate Yourself – Zero Waste. This dynamic course, broken down into 9 bite-sized sections, packs a powerful punch. Each section features a short video and downloadable worksheet, allowing participants to explore the topic at their own pace. The course will help them master the basics of zero waste, discover tips to inspire friends and family to ditch plastic, and take action to make a real difference in the world! The videos are available on all Trash Hero World social media pages, as well as through their website.

Trash Hero turns 10! A decade ago, a group of friends in Thailand decided to take action against the waste that was washing onto the shore from all corners of the globe. It was the start of something extraordinary, a ten year journey that has transformed a local initiative into a global force for food. You can read their full story in their latest blogpost or watch the full timeline in their 10th anniversary video. As of December 2023, they have 100 active chapters in 13 countries. Here are their impact numbers from the last 10 years!

• 515,643 volunteers including 137,882 kids
• 20,838 cleanups
• 2,451,362 kg of trash collected
• 108688 reusable bottles sold, avoiding 39.7 million plastic bottles and preventing 2065 tonnes of CO2 emissions
• 491 partners in our free water refill network
• 23,330 Trash Hero kids’ books printed in 8 languages.

Trash Hero Indonesia recently hosted its second Family Meeting of 2023 for all active chapters within the country. Seventy participants joined the three-day event from 33 different locations. In other parts of the world, chapter leaders hosted local Chapter Family Meetings. Family Meetings bring together volunteers in a different way. They help volunteers learn new skills, gain confidence and build important friendships. Read more about what the volunteers did by clicking HERE.

Trash Hero joined the recent Global Plastics Treaty discussion in Nairobi – INC3 11-19 November. It was an intense week, with many oil-producing countries stalling the process. The remaining rounds of negotiations will be harder because of this, but the important thing is that no compromise was made. This means it is still possible to achieve a strong, legally binding treaty. Trash Hero has UNEP accreditation, which allows us to attend the talks as an observer. Between official talks, the team met with country delegates and discussed our belief that the entire lifecycle of plastic needs to be addressed and plastic production drastically cut. Read more HERE.