For the first time, a scientifically validated test has been created that can prove whether a material is genuinely plastic-free or not. Check out our related reads:Working alongside materials innovation company Xampla, NPL scientists have developed the test using advanced spectroscopy and microscopy. Using this new test, Xampla’s plant polymer materials were found to contain no plastic. Each week, UK households discard a staggering 1.7 billion pieces of plastic packaging. In a year, that’s 100 billion pieces of plastic discarded – the same number of stars in our entire galaxy.