The Problem with Plastic Fans

New research from Material Focus found that Brits purchased a staggering 7.1 million mini-fans in the last year alone. Demand for the devices is climbing fast, with Google searches for mini-fans up 16% in May compared to the same time last year.

A staggering 3.4 million handheld fans are already sitting unused or have been binned — part of a wider issue known as FastTech: small, cheap electrical items that are increasingly treated as disposable.

"FastTech is growing as quickly as fast fashion and is going to have a similar negative impact, as it ends up in landfill and has a detrimental environmental impact."

Transport for London (TfL) has activated its "comprehensive" hot weather plan during the current heatwave. Last year, the Victoria line was named the hottest on the London Underground, with an average temperature above 30°C between June and October, followed closely by the Central and Bakerloo lines.

Only 40% of trains across the network have air conditioning. On older lines, temperatures can become even hotter during rush hour, with deep-level tunnels regularly exceeding safe workplace temperature limits.

"Spending your working shift in a small metal box deep underground is rarely a pleasant experience... Tube train drivers have no such luxury of working remotely."