The Royal British Legion, which is producing 170,000 poppies a day to meet demand ahead of Remembrance Sunday, said analysis by scientists at University College London suggests the new design could reduce emissions by 40 percent.

“We are very proud to introduce our plastic-free poppy, which is completely recyclable, and we hope this will encourage more people than ever to take part in this year’s Poppy Appeal and show support for our Armed Forces community,” said Andy Taylor . -Whyte, Poppy Appeal Director at the charity.

“After years of work and collaboration with our partners designing a new poppy, creating new paper and machinery, and testing its durability and color fastness, we have been able to eliminate single-use plastic and create a poppy that is a long-lasting product. “a symbol of respect and remembrance, in addition to being friendlier to the planet.”

Professor Paola Lettieri from UCL added: “We appreciate the importance of the poppy and were delighted to be invited to assess the environmental impact of the plastic-free poppy and suggest how it could be made more sustainable.

“We look at its carbon footprint and factors like the amount of water and resources used to make it, in what’s called a Life Cycle Assessment.”