Government disposed of 3bn items of PPE bought in pandemic, data shows

The government has faced repeated criticism over how it handled PPE purchasing during the pandemic. Photograph: Murdo MacLeod/The Guardian

The government has disposed of more than 3bn items of personal protective equipment (PPE) it bought during the pandemic, figures have revealed.

An estimated 3.14bn items have been shed through a mixture of recycling, energy from waste processes – including some incineration – donations and sales.