Environmental Protection (Plastic Straws, Cotton Buds and Stirrers) (England) Regulations 2020

Baroness Gardner of Parkes Excerpts

Friday 10th July 2020 Lords Chamber

[Baroness Gardner of Parkes (Con) [V]]

My Lords, I welcome these regulations to address the serious problem of single-use plastic in our disposable society. My youngest daughter, as chair of the Western Riverside Waste Authority in 2018-19, spoke of her frustrations at our throwaway culture and its cost to nature and society. In those years, that waste authority recycled more than 5,000 tonnes of plastic. Yet small items such as drinking straws are not commonly recycled and, having fallen through the machinery or worse, are left littering the environment. These regulations will be one step in re-educating people’s habits.

I welcome the medical exemptions. Another grandson, who has severe Down’s syndrome, relies on a straw to drink. His mother has now moved him on to a metal straw, which has become an essential part of his life. We should not just swap a plastic straw for an alternative one and then throw it away, but get people to change their behaviour by either reusing an alternative or not requiring a straw. It is good to see HMG bringing these regulations into force but October seems too far away, given the understandable delays in bringing them before the House. I hope that the Minister, having listened to today’s debate, will now feel able to press the Government for an earlier implementation date.