MPs have criticised the food industry’s efforts to reduce plastic waste, saying supermarkets and suppliers have been “too slow”.
The report – titled ‘The price of plastic: ending the toll of plastic waste’ – was published today (7 November) by the Environment, Food & Rural Affairs Committee. It reveals that the UK sends over 60% of its plastic packaging waste abroad, exporting the problem of plastic waste to “countries that often do not have the ability to dispose of this waste sustainably”.
The report points out this has led to a range of “economic, social and health problems including land and water degradation, air pollution and food chain contamination”, with claims that claiming the “dirty trade” had been linked to cancer, liver disease, skin lesions and abnormal foetus development.
It went on to recommend that the Government bans the export of plastic waste by the end of 2027, while also confirming its support for the plastic packaging tax.
To avoid paying this tax, manufacturers and suppliers must ensure that 30% of the content of their plastic packaging comes from recycled sources.
Committee chair Robert Goodwill said this can be achieved by reducing how much plastic we use and consume, while also aiming to “invest in greater capacity to reprocess our own waste and support research into new technologies and materials”.
“For far too long the UK has been reliant on exporting its waste overseas and making it someone else’s problem. Plastic waste originating in our country is being illegally dumped and burned abroad. The UK must not be a part of this dirty trade and that’s why we are calling for a total ban on waste plastic exports.”
Goodwill added: “If the UK takes a lead in this, we have the potential to create hundreds of new jobs and build a £multibillion waste management industry.”
A spokesperson for the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs told Sky News: “We have been very clear the UK should handle more of its waste at home, and that’s why we are committed to banning the export of plastic waste to non-OECD (Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development) countries.
“We are also clamping down on illegal waste exports – including to Turkey – through tougher controls, and those found to be illegally exporting waste can face a two-year jail term and an unlimited fine.”
