The Government\u2019s 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\u2019s 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>
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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>
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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>
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<\/p>"} , "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4098", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Dr Thérèse Coffey"} } , "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Suffolk Coastal"} , "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Dr Thérèse Coffey"} , "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2019-07-10", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2019-07-10T12:50:45.977Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} ]} , "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "13"} , "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Environment, Food and Rural Affairs"} , "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Environment, Food and Rural Affairs"} , "date" : {"_value" : "2019-07-01", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Plastics: Recycling"} , "houseId" : {"_value" : "1"} , "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25259", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Commons"} } ], "questionText" : "To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps he is taking to (a) increase the amount of plastic that is recycled, and (b) improve the UK\u2019s recycling infrastructure.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/1568", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Mrs Anne Main"} } , "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "St Albans"} , "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Mrs Anne Main"} ], "uin" : "271396"} , {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1135842", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs"} ], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1135842/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : "
In England plastic is widely collected for recycling across local authorities. 45% of plastic packaging waste was recycled in 2017, exceeding the EU target of 22.5%.<\/p>
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As part of our Resources and Waste Strategy, the Government analysed the challenges currently facing the recycling industry in this country. Through the Strategy, the Government set out how it would tackle these challenges, including making producers more responsible for the packaging they put on the market and making recycling simpler for households. We want all local waste authorities to collect the same core set of materials for recycling. We also want to introduce a deposit return system. This will increase the quantity and quality of recyclable material collected. Our approach, from production through consumption to end of life, is focused on increasing supply and demand for secondary materials to be recycled in the UK.<\/p>
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Our ambition is to eliminate all avoidable plastic waste over the lifetime of the 25 Year Environmental Plan. For the most problematic plastics we are going faster, which is why we have committed to working towards all plastic packaging placed on the UK market being recyclable, reusable or compostable by 2025.<\/p>
<\/p>"} , "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4098", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Dr Thérèse Coffey"} } , "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Suffolk Coastal"} , "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Dr Thérèse Coffey"} , "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2019-07-10", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2019-07-10T12:56:24.987Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} ]} , "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "13"} , "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Environment, Food and Rural Affairs"} , "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Environment, Food and Rural Affairs"} , "date" : {"_value" : "2019-07-01", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Plastics: Recycling"} , "houseId" : {"_value" : "1"} , "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25259", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Commons"} } ], "questionText" : "To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what recent assessment he has made of the effectiveness of the current plastic recycling system.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/308", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Mr Jim Cunningham"} } , "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Coventry South"} , "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Mr Jim Cunningham"} ], "uin" : "271373"} , {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1127808", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs"} ], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1127808/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : "
Defra Ministers and officials have met industry representatives to highlight the importance of increasing the recyclability of materials, including black plastics. As part of our proposals to reform the UK packaging producer responsibility system, we have outlined options that provide a financial incentive for producers to move towards using more easily recycled packaging materials and formats. We expect these initiatives by industry, combined with our reforms, to work together to eliminate from use the problematic and difficult to recycle plastic packaging.<\/p>
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Industry has committed to taking action on implementing solutions to prevent black plastic waste going to landfill and encourage recycling. In April 2018, WRAP and the Ellen MacArthur Foundation published its Plastics Pact with support from Defra and 80 businesses, NGOs, government organisations and service providers. The Pact brings these organisations together with the aim of making 100% of plastic packaging reusable, recyclable or compostable by 2025. A number of UK Plastic Pact members, including Waitrose, Aldi and Lidl have committed to reducing or eliminating black plastic packaging, while other companies are using detectable pigment that enables black plastic to be recycled.<\/p>"} , "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4098", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Dr Thérèse Coffey"} } , "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Suffolk Coastal"} , "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Dr Thérèse Coffey"} , "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2019-05-30", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2019-05-30T09:06:18.827Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} ]} , "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "13"} , "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Environment, Food and Rural Affairs"} , "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Environment, Food and Rural Affairs"} , "date" : {"_value" : "2019-05-21", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Plastics: Recycling"} , "houseId" : {"_value" : "1"} , "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25259", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Commons"} } ], "questionText" : "To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what recent discussions he has had with businesses on the use of detectable black pigment in plastics to facilitate the recycling of plastic.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4523", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Catherine West"} } , "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Hornsey and Wood Green"} , "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Catherine West"} ], "uin" : "257075"} , {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1110832", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs"} ], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1110832/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : "
The Government set out in the 25 Year Environment Plan, published in January 2018, its commitment to eliminate all avoidable plastic waste and to work towards all plastic packaging placed on the market being recyclable, reusable or compostable by 2025. Our Resource and Waste Strategy was published in December 2018 and contains details of measures that will help to achieve this.<\/p>
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We are currently consulting on a suite of proposals that will lead to an increase in the supply and demand for secondary materials. These include reforming the UK packaging producer responsibility system, the introduction of a deposit return scheme (DRS) for drinks containers in England, and a tax on plastic packaging with less than 30% recycled content, all subject to consultation. These measures will provide a strong incentive for producers to design and make plastic packaging that uses less virgin materials and is more easily recyclable.<\/p>
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We want to increase the quantity and quality of material that is collected and recycled. To achieve this, we are consulting on requiring all waste collection authorities to collect the same core set of dry materials from households across England. We want to make recycling clearer and easier so that everyone knows exactly what they can put in the recycling bin, whether at work or at home.<\/p>
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