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<p>The Government’s Resources and Waste Strategy for England, published in December
last year, sets out how we will reduce plastic pollution and preserve material resources
by minimising waste, increasing recycling rates, promoting resource efficiency and
moving towards a more circular economy. We have consulted on reforms to household
and business recycling collections which are intended to improve the quantity and
quality of materials collected for recycling, including plastic, and on proposals
to make producers pay the full net cost for dealing with the packaging they put on
the market at end-of-life, and on the potential introduction of a deposit return scheme.
Her Majesty’s Treasury have also consulted on a world-leading tax on plastic packaging
which does not contain at least 30% recycled material. These reforms should help reduce
waste and increase the amount of packaging recycled.</p><p> </p><p>Defra also supports
the UK Plastics Pact, a unique collaboration launched by Waste and Resources Action
Programme (WRAP) that will create a circular economy for plastics. WRAP estimates
these members are responsible for over 80% of the plastic packaging on products sold
through UK supermarkets, and approximately 50% of the total plastic packaging placed
on the UK market.</p><p> </p><p>The Government is also acting to help ensure the right
infrastructure is in place to deliver high quality secondary materials for recycling.
It is investing around £3 billion of grant funding in waste infrastructure projects.
These grants support infrastructure including material recovery, mechanical biological
treatment and anaerobic digestion facilities, as well as implementation and expanding
kerbside recycling services. It also recently announced £4.7 million of grant funding
for recycling infrastructure projects that will help to recycle difficult plastic
packaging and textile materials. Further grant opportunities around recycling will
follow in due course.</p><p> </p><p> </p>
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