The Government has taken action to reduce plastic waste and increase recycling, including:<\/p>
The UK Producer Responsibility (Packaging Waste) Regulations, which cover silage wrap and other plastic packaging found on farms, require obligated producers of packaging to ensure that a proportion of the packaging they handle is recovered and recycled. These regulations have resulted in a significant increase in recycling over the last decade, with recycling of packaging rising from around 46% in 2005 to 60% in 2015.<\/p><\/li>
The Government introduced a 5p charge on single-use plastic carrier bags from 5 October 2015. So far the 5p charge has been effective in decreasing the distribution of plastic bags, contributing to a reduction in the number of plastic bags found in the open environment. The latest figures are due to be published by 31st<\/sup> July.<\/p> <\/p> The Government also published the first Litter Strategy for England on 10 April, setting out our intention to apply best practice in education, enforcement and infrastructure to deliver a substantial reduction in litter and littering behaviour within a generation. The common aim of all the actions in the Litter Strategy is to change the behaviour of those who currently feel that it is acceptable to drop any kind of litter, whether they are in an urban or rural environment. The Strategy can be found online at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/litter-strategy-for-england<\/a><\/p><\/li><\/ul>"}
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