Steve Double, Member of Parliament for St Austell and Newquay has welcomed yesterday’s announcement that the Government would consider introducing a plastic bottle deposit scheme.
Speaking yesterday, Lord Gardiner of Kimble, the environment minister, said:
“We are going to look at a number of measures to improve recycling. One of them is to have a full and proper look at the impacts and benefits of different types of deposit and reward-and-return schemes for drinks.”
This comes at the same time that Coca-Cola is funding trials, due to start next year, with bottles of up to half a litre, which are generally discarded outside the home where people will be offered either cash or a shopping voucher to return empty plastic bottles of any brand to collection points. Coca-Cola has said the scheme could be introduced across the country if the trials showed that it improved recycling rates and reduced litter.
Commenting, Steve said:
“As Chairman of the Protect our Waves All Party Parliamentary Group this is a welcome step from the Government.”
“More than 13 billion single-use plastic bottles are sold in Britain each year and only 57 per cent of these are recycled, with the remainder sent to rubbish dumps, incinerated or left as litter. Millions of them end up on beaches and in the sea where they will pollute our marine environment for years to come.”
“I welcome the Government’s announcement that they are looking at a number of measures to improve recycling and eagerly await their next steps.”