UK government puts plates and cutlery in firing line as “war on plastic waste” intensifies

31 Aug 2021 --- The UK government is ramping up its “war on plastic waste” with fresh plans to stop the supply of a range of single-use plastics that “threaten our natural environment.” Single-use plastic plates, cutlery and polystyrene cups are among a raft of items that could be banned in England as part of a new public consultation being launched in the autumn. 

The proposals are designed to direct businesses toward more environmentally sustainable alternatives and prevent plastic litter.

According to the government, it is estimated each person uses 18 single-use plastic plates and 37 single-use plastic items of cutlery each year in England.

The durability of plastic means litter from items used for a few minutes can last for centuries in landfill or as litter in the countryside or ocean.

Around the world, more than one million birds and over 100,000 sea mammals and turtles die every year from eating or getting tangled in plastic waste.

Further details of the consultation, including the complete list of single-use items under review, will be announced in the upcoming weeks.

The UK Plastics Pact
The industry is taking action to tackle plastic waste through the UK Plastics Pact, a collaboration between businesses from across the entire plastics value chain, supported by the government and coordinated by the Waste and Resources Action Programme (WRAP).

The UK government is commitment to preventing all “avoidable plastic waste” by the end of 2042.Pact members have identified eight problematic plastic items for elimination and are investigating further items. In December 2020, WRAP reported its members had increased their plastic packaging recycling rates to 50 percent and cut 40 percent of “unnecessary” plastic packaging.

Carrier bag charge
The government has already taken steps to tackle plastic pollution, banning microbeads in rinse-off personal care products, dramatically reducing the number of plastic bags being used and restricting the supply of single-use plastic straws, stirrers and cotton buds.

In August 2020, the government announced plans to extend the single-use carrier bag charge to all retailers and increase the levy to 10p from April 2021. Government statistics showed the 5p levy led to a 95 percent cut in plastic bag sales in major supermarkets since 2015.

The new plans will be designed to build on the success of those measures and form part of the government’s commitment to preventing all “avoidable plastic waste” by the end of 2042.

“We have made progress to turn the tide on plastic, banning the supply of plastic straws, stirrers and cotton buds, while our carrier bag charge has cut sales by 95 percent in the main supermarkets,” says environment secretary George Eustice.

“Now we are looking to go a step further as we build back greener. These plans will help us stamp out the unnecessary use of plastics that wreak havoc with our natural environment.”Veolia found 83% of businesses asked are not aware of the UK Plastic Packaging Tax.

UK Environment Bill
The UK’s Environment Bill gives the government new powers to intensify its war on plastic pollution and litter, including:

• Introducing a Deposit Return Scheme for drinks containers to recycle billions more plastic bottles;
• An updated Extended Producer Responsibility scheme, meaning companies will be expected to cover the full cost of recycling and disposing of their packaging. Producers of commonly littered packaging will be made more responsible for their littered packaging, with fees paid to cover the cost of cleaning up and for litter prevention activities; and
• Plans for consistent recycling collections for every household and business in England ensuring more plastic is recycled.

Plastic Packaging Tax
The UK will also introduce a plastic packaging tax from April 2022, set at £200 (US$278) per metric ton, on plastic packaging not meeting the minimum threshold of at least 30 percent recycled content. 

However, Veolia research found 83 percent of businesses asked are not aware of the impending UK Plastic Packaging Tax, with less than a year until the legislation comes into force.

“Eighty-three percent is high indeed – I am actually surprised it’s that high – and maybe more communication should come from the government on it, then businesses can prepare themselves for next year,” Timothee Duret, director of sustainable technology at Veolia UK, tells PackagingInsights.

By Joshua Poole