London (CNN) Nearly 50 million plastic bank notes have had to be replaced since they were launched due to damage and wear, according to PA news agency. Plastic bills -- made of polymers instead of traditional paper materials -- were introduced into circulation by the Bank of England in 2016. According to Bank of England figures , there were around 400 million £5 bills and 1 billion £10 bills in circulation in 2019. The first plastic note -- worth £5 -- bore the face of wartime leader Winston Churchill, followed by the £10 note featuring author Jane Austen. A polymer £20 note, featuring English painter JMW Turner, is due to be released in 2020.

Source: CNN January 04, 2020 15:11 UTC