Asked by: Vicky Ford (Conservative - Chelmsford)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 13 June 2023 to Question 188370, when she plans to bring forward proposals to introduce re-use obligations.
Answered by Rebecca Pow
Re-use has a significant role to play in driving down unnecessary waste. In accordance with the waste hierarchy, the priority should be on reuse of materials, before recycling, and so we are working to identify measures that could be used to encourage greater use of reusable packaging. We will bring forward our proposals in 2025.
In the meantime, EPR will contribute to a reduction in the creation of new packaging from virgin materials as producers are incentivised to reconsider the need for packaging and, where it is needed, to use reusable and recyclable packaging. This will contribute to climate change mitigation in line with our commitment to comprehensive action on climate change.
Asked by: Vicky Ford (Conservative - Chelmsford)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment her Department has made of the potential merits of introducing measures to encourage fast food restaurants to use plates or re-usable containers.
Answered by Rebecca Pow
From October this year, we will ban the supply of single use plastic plates and cutlery, as well as expanded and extruded polystyrene food and drinks containers. Government guidance on the ban makes it clear businesses should prepare by considering reusable alternatives..
The introduction of the Extended Producer Responsibility for packaging regulations will encourage businesses to think carefully about how much packaging they use, and to design and use packaging that is easily recyclable. It will also encourage use of reusable and refillable packaging.
Re-use has a significant role to play in driving down unnecessary waste. We are working to identify measures that could be used to encourage greater use of reusable packaging, but we haven’t specifically assessed measures targeting non-plastic plates in fast food restaurants. We remain committed to introducing re-use obligations and will bring forward our proposals with the intention of introducing these in 2025.