Twenty years ago, most of our recycling habits consisted of a weekly trip to bottle banks. Thankfully, fortnightly recycling collections are now the norm and households are making conscious decisions before they discard waste into landfill.
But in recent years, recycling rates in England have remained stagnant- with only 41.1% of our waste recycled in 2020. Alarmingly, of all the plastic waste that is collected, only 32% is currently recycled.
If we are to meet our environmental ambitions, it is time to double down on our recycling habits and strive to achieve a truly “circular economy”. In other words, we must ensure materials aren’t discarded immediately after their use- but reused, repaired, and refurbished, time after time.
The importance of this goal cannot be overstated. Scientists predict that by 2050, 34 billion tonnes of plastic will have been produced across the globe. The consequences of plastic pollution are well known and devastating. Without further intervention, this tidal wave of plastic waste has the potential to do irreversible damage to the ecosystems we depend upon.
I very much welcome the Government’s efforts to halt such damage. The landmark Environment Act set ambitious targets to cut plastic consumption, with a commitment to eliminate all “avoidable” plastic waste by 2042.
As Chair of the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Select Committee, I want to see the Government’s strategy go further. That is why we have launched the Plastic Waste inquiry, examining whether the current measures on plastic waste go far enough, and how can plastic alternatives be identified and supported.
One of the key challenges we have found is the lack of uniformity within the recycling system. Across the country, each local authority has a different system of collection, sorting and disposal. Recycling quickly becomes a bewildering array of differing collection boxes, bags, and sacks- with each area accepting differing items. Ultimately, this leads to confusion and lower rates of recycling.
If we are to tackle the plastics problem head on, it must start from the curb side. The Government should help local authorities provide consistent collection times, and rollout a simplified recycling system across the country. To support this step, councils across Britain should be given the means to provide clear and effective messaging about when and how residents can recycle.
I also welcome the Government’s proposal to set up a Deposit Return Scheme for drinks cartons. Countries across the world have seen great benefits to such schemes, which creates a tangible incentive to recycle. These include reductions in littering, and greater public awareness of plastic consumption.
However, I have concerns that this scheme has taken a long time to get off the ground in Britain. As EFRA Chair, I have been calling for this scheme for nearly five years, and we cannot afford any further delays. Ministers should get around the table with local councils, manufacturers, and consumers, to develop the scheme as soon as possible.
Manufacturers also have a part to play. The latest Government reforms will go a long way to tackle waste on the production line, extending responsibility onto manufacturers for the full cost of the materials they use, including the impact these resources will have on the planet. It is my hope Ministers will use this opportunity to encourage manufacturers to use recyclable, sustainable materials that drive a circular economy.
I am in no doubt there will be bumps along the road to achieving a circular economy. But if we are to meet our environmental ambitions, we cannot continue with unfettered plastic consumption.
Investment by Government is greatly needed, as well as innovation by manufacturers, and bolstered public awareness for plastic alternatives. Only then can we develop a recycling system that is fit for purpose and tackle the plastic crisis head on.
This column first appeared in the Mid Devon Gazette on April 12th 2022 and in the Express and Echo a week later.
