WITH Britain's most wasteful meal on the approach, a top waste and recycling company has made the radical suggestion to ban Christmas dinner altogether.

"Why not?" said Business Waste spokesperson Mark Hall. "We've already been labelled Scrooges for criticising the cheap plastic tat in Christmas crackers. We might as well make a stand on this as well."

Based on research by Business Waste, on Christmas Day an average person will consume seven pigs in blankets, two portions of turkey, three slices of gammon, five roast potatoes, one brussel sprout, two large chocolate bars, a fruit cake, and a Christmas pudding with brandy butter.

It is estimated that 150,000 tonnes of festive food will be thrown away, with people purchasing more than twice as much as they actually need for the festive period. As a nation that no longer makes leftovers last several days, a significant proportion of this will end up in the bin.

"That's what we're trying to prevent," Mark says. "We aren't out to wreck your family's Christmas. We just want you to think about how you can celebrate this special time of year sensibly and in a sustainable manner."

He adds: "There's no need to panic buy before Christmas, and there's absolutely no need to double up on your usual purchases 'just in case we run out'. Try to only buy enough for what you need, and think of the money you'll be saving if you do."

In addition to the sheer quantity of food waste, Business Waste is encouraging people to think about the effort and resources used to transport it across the country and around the world. Refuse collectors will be forced to pick up the weighty bags of waste, while bin lorries will have to make extra journeys to the weighbridge and final disposal, adding to the already critical levels of carbon emissions in the atmosphere.

"And that's just the disposal chain," Mark continues. "Think of the effort that got that food to you in the first place. Wasted."

The UK is reported to waste food worth £15 billion every year, creating seven million tonnes of rubbish.

For tips on reducing your waste, and for waste management solutions, visit businesswaste.co.uk