A proposed levy on single-use plastic bottles alone could generate around £1.75m a day for good causes, the Charities Aid Foundation (CAF) claims.

Chancellor Philip Hammond said he would explore the possibility of a levy on single-use plastic items in last month’s Budget.

According to sustainability charity Wrap, more than 35 million plastic bottles are used every day in the UK and 16 million a day are currently not recycled.

A 5p levy on plastic bottles alone could see £1,75m a day generated if levels of usage remained the same, CAF said.

The full amount, including other single-use plastic items, would be even greater.

Even if the number of plastic bottles used every day fell by 85%, similar to the reduction in use of plastic bags, this could still generate more than quarter of a million pounds a day for good causes, CAF added.

The plastic bag levy dramatically cut the number of bags being used and raised £29m for good causes in the first six months after the levy was introduced in October 2015.

CAF chief executive Sir John Low said: “We know that the use of plastic bags fell dramatically following the introduction of the levy, which benefitted the environment but also raised millions of pounds for good causes.

“A similar levy on single-use plastic items would reap similar rewards, reducing the consumption of single-use plastic items, but also in funding work which would not have otherwise been possible.”