Government 'dragging its feet' on deposit return scheme for plastic bottles
MPs tell ministers there is an "unacceptable delay" in action to combat the 700,000 bottles that end up on the streets every day.
Monday 26 February 2018 20:47, UK
The Government has been accused of "dragging its feet" on introducing a deposit return scheme for plastic drinks bottles.
In a series of criticisms over efforts to deal with plastic pollution, a group of MPs accused ministers of kicking the plans "into the long grass".
The House of Commons' Environmental Audit Committee claimed the Government had not "adequately acted upon, or responded to" its recommendations in combating the 15 million plastic bottles not recycled in the UK every day.
The committee had called on the Government to introduce a deposit return scheme for plastic drinks bottles; introduce rules compelling all public premises that serve food or drink to provide free drinking water on request; and raise costs on packaging that is difficult to recycle.
Having received the Government's response to its recommendations, included in a report published late last year, the committee claimed ministers had indicated a decision on a deposit return scheme could be delayed until after a planned consultation on a tax on single-use plastics.
The committee's chair, Labour MP Mary Creagh, said: "The Government is dragging its feet on introducing a deposit return scheme.
"Every day the Government delays, another 700,000 plastic bottles end up in our streets. This delay is unacceptable."
Ms Creagh also criticised Government inaction on her committee's other recommendations.
She added: "My committee was shocked to find that the UK unnecessarily uses over seven billion plastic water bottles every year.
"The Government needs to do much more to combat plastic pollution. Premises serving food or drink should be legally obliged to provide free drinking water.
"Producers, not the taxpayer, should pay for costs of recovering hard to recycle packaging."
In response to the committee's claims, the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs insisted a decision on a deposit return scheme would be announced "in due course".
A spokesperson said: "The UK is showing global leadership by committing to reduce plastic waste.
"We are the first country in Europe to ban microbeads and our 25-year environment plan set out our plans to extend the 5p plastic bag charge, improve recycling rates and explore plastic-free aisles in supermarkets.
"We will be working with industry to reform our packaging waste regulations, to incentivise producers to take greater responsibility for the environmental impacts of their products.
"An independent working group has submitted its report to ministers who will consider the evidence around deposit reward (or return) schemes on plastic bottles and other drinks containers."
At the autumn Budget, Chancellor Philip Hammond vowed to "investigate how the tax system and charges on single-use plastic items can reduce waste".
Environment Secretary Michael Gove had previously used the Conservative Party conference to confirm the Government would work with industry to see how a "reward and return" scheme for plastic bottles could work.
His junior minister Therese Coffey visited Norway, Sweden and Denmark last year to find out more about those countries' schemes.
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