According to new research from Envirowise, 60 per cent of under-twelves in the South East now receive between 10 and 50 toys per year, while a further 21 per cent receive more than fifty - totalling at least 19 million new toys annually in the region[1].
Unfortunately, more toys also means more waste. There are a variety of reasons for parents in the region disposing of toys – these include breakage (25%), children becoming bored of them (26%) or old toys being replaced by new ones (24%).
On a positive note, 69 per cent of parents in the region gave away toys to friends, family, nursery schools or charities, while just 18 per cent put them straight in the bin. Five per cent of respondents in the South East said that they sold their children's discarded toys, compared to as many as 13 per cent in some parts of the UK.
Dr Martin Gibson, Envirowise programme director said: “It is heartening to see that many people do seek to reuse toys when they are no longer wanted, but the number of toys going in the bin every year is still a huge problem.
“This burden could be easily reduced if a larger number of people were prepared to repair broken toys and if more toy manufacturers recognised their obligation to design toys which are long lasting and easy to repair. By developing cleaner design techniques businesses can also explore ways to make their whole production process more sustainable and profitable in the long term too.”
Businesses interested in learning more about cleaner design and how it might be applied to their products can request a free, confidential, on-site consultancy visit (Ireland, Scotland and Wales only) from Envirowise. Envirowise advisors visit businesses and spend a day reviewing product design to look for efficiencies. More information can be found at www.envirowise.gov.uk or on 0800 585 794.
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Notes to editors:
[1] There were 1,162,710 under-twelves in the South East in 2003 according to ONS
About Envirowise
Envirowise delivers a valuable programme of confidential advice to UK businesses. This advice enables businesses to improve profitability and reduce environmental impact.
Independent, practical and proven guidance is available through the Envirowise Advice Line, information resources and on site visits (Ireland, Scotland and Wales only) delivered by a national team of expert advisors. Each solution is driven by the specific needs of individual firms, to genuinely improve their business practices, profitability and competitiveness. Since 1994, Envirowise has helped UK industry save £1 billion.
The Envirowise programme is available to any UK business, completely free of charge. For more information visit www.envirowise.gov.uk or call 0800 585 794.
For more information, please contact: Rod Dennis or Kate Sturley at Harrison Cowley on 0117 929 2311.