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<p>The Government has committed in its 25 Year Environment Plan to eliminating all
avoidable plastic waste, further details of which will be set in our upcoming Resources
and Waste Strategy</p><p> </p><p>The Government is aware of the interest in biodegradable
and compostable materials. While such materials may be seen as a solution to reduce
the impact of waste, they can also be more environmentally damaging than non-biodegradable
materials if disposed of incorrectly. The Government published a report in 2015 which
concluded that existing biodegradable standards are only applicable to very specific
conditions, such as industrial composters.</p><p> </p><p>The Government is concerned
that, in the absence of standards, claims about the biodegradability of plastic-based
products cannot be verified leading to potential confusion in the marketplace, possible
increased levels of consumption and potential environmental harm at the point of disposal.
As part of our forthcoming UK Bioeconomy Strategy we will work with industry to seek
evidence on the demand, benefits and implications of a standard for bio-based and
biodegradable plastics.</p>
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