The British public overwhelmingly supports new fiscal measures to reduce demand for single-use plastics like coffee-cups and takeaway boxes.
The Treasury reported that its call for evidence on how tax can be used to reduce plastic waste received the most responses in its history, totalling 162,000, with individuals, businesses and campaign groups united in their support for action on tackling the impact of plastics on the environment.
Measures that received particular support were those that use the tax system to:
- encourage greater use of recycled plastic in manufacturing rather than new plastic;
- discourage the use of difficult to recycle plastics, like carbon black plastic;
- reduce demand for single-use plastics like coffee-cups and takeaway boxes; and
- encourage further recycling as opposed to incineration.
The government said it would use responses to the consultation to inform its approach to tackling plastic waste ahead of this year’s Budget.
The work forms part of a wider government commitment in its 25 Year Environment Plan to eliminate all avoidable plastic waste. It has already announced a ban on microbeads and proposals to extend the 5p plastic bag charge and explore plastic free aisles in supermarkets.
The government also intends to ban the sale of plastic straws, stirrers and cotton buds and has committed to introduce a deposit return scheme to increase recycling rates of drinks bottles and cans, subject to consultation later this year.
