Asked by: Josh Newbury (Labour - Cannock Chase)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of lost income from recycling credits from the introduction of the deposit return scheme in October 2027 on local authority budgets.
Answered by Emma Hardy - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
The impact of DRS on local authorities was considered as part of the Final Impact Assessment (The Deposit Scheme for Drinks Containers (England and Northern Ireland) Regulations 2024) The government is continuing to assess the impacts of the Deposit Return Scheme on local authorities, including any changes in income from diverted recyclable material and associated savings.
Asked by: Josh Newbury (Labour - Cannock Chase)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment she has made of the potential merits of enabling producers to transfer their first right of refusal to material recovered under the deposit return scheme to a third party processor.
Answered by Emma Hardy - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
The Deposit Scheme for Drinks Containers (England and Northern Ireland) regulations 2025 require Exchange for Change to offer registered scheme producers first refusal on scheme material. The Regulations do not provide for transfer of that right. Any arrangements involving third-party processors are an operational matter for Exchange for Change.
Asked by: Josh Newbury (Labour - Cannock Chase)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps her Department is taking to raise public awareness of the deposit return scheme due to come into force in October 2027.
Answered by Emma Hardy - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
The Government is working closely with Exchange for Change, the Deposit Management Organisation, to support business and consumer readiness for the Deposit Return Scheme. Exchange for Change is engaging retailers, drinks producers, environmental organisations and the public, and is developing communications to raise awareness and understanding of the scheme.
Asked by: Josh Newbury (Labour - Cannock Chase)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, in the context of the delay to mandatory kerbside collection of flexible plastics under Simpler Recycling, what steps her Department is taking to work with industry to stimulate end-market demand for recycled flexible plastic.
Answered by Emma Hardy - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
Defra is launching a Plastic Film Forum. Work will focus on collections, sorting, recycling and markets, with the objective of developing a roadmap to support 2030 implementation. Membership will reflect diverse perspectives, including local authorities, waste management, producers, retailer and reprocessors, devolved administrations and other government departments.
Asked by: Josh Newbury (Labour - Cannock Chase)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps her Department is taking to increase post-consumer sorting and processing capacity in the UK in the context of the time taken to introduce mandatory kerbside collection of flexible plastics under Simpler Recycling.
Answered by Emma Hardy - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
Defra is launching a Plastic Film Forum. Work will focus on collections, sorting, recycling and markets, with the objective of developing a roadmap to support 2030 implementation. Membership will reflect diverse perspectives, including local authorities, waste management, producers, retailer and reprocessors, devolved administrations and other government departments.