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<p>The Resources and Waste Strategy analysed the challenges currently facing the recycling
industry in this country, setting out how we would tackle these challenges. Building
on commitments in the Strategy we launched a consultation earlier this year on reforming
the packaging producer responsibility system, as part of that consultation the Government
proposed a mandatory UK-wide labelling system that provides clear information to help
people to recycle. Following strong support for the proposal from consultation respondents,
the Government is minded to take forward a mandatory labelling scheme subject to further
analysis and legal considerations. Defra officials are exploring how a mandatory labelling
scheme can address consumer confusion about what to do with compostable packaging.
The consultation closed on 13 May and the summary of responses and next steps can
be found via the below link: <a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/packaging-waste-changing-the-uk-producer-responsibility-system-for-packaging-waste"
target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/packaging-waste-changing-the-uk-producer-responsibility-system-for-packaging-waste</a></p><p>
</p><p>The Government recognises that innovation into compostable and biodegradable
plastics could help reduce the environmental impacts of plastics if they are disposed
of in the right way. However, this is often not the case. If these plastics are put
in the domestic waste bin, for example, they are likely to end up in landfill and
can break down to release powerful greenhouse gases, such as methane. If mistakenly
recycled with other plastics, they have the potential to damage the quality of the
new products made from the recycled plastic. Furthermore, concerns persist that plastics
which are claimed to be biodegradable, if littered or otherwise released into the
environment in an uncontrolled way, may not degrade quickly or at all, and they can
only be composted if they meet relevant standards.</p><p> </p><p>As a consequence
of these concerns, the Government published a call for evidence in July 2019 to help
consider the development of standards or certification criteria for bio-based, biodegradable,
and compostable plastics as well as to better understand their effects on the environment
and our current waste system. The call for evidence closed on the 14 October 2019
and we are currently analysing the responses received to inform future policy. We
currently do not have plans to bring forward legislative proposals on the matter of
requiring any form of plastic packaging to be compostable.</p><p> </p>
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