Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if he will take steps to ensure that the new food waste segregation reforms will not prevent community litter picking organisations from continuing; and if he will publish guidance on how these organisations can ensure their efforts are fully compliant.

The Government is committed to implementing Simpler Recycling, which will mean that people across England will be able to recycle the same materials, whether at home, work or school, putting an end to the confusion over what can and cannot be recycled in different parts of the country.

The Department understands that most litter picking activities are undertaken by community or volunteer groups, under which circumstances Regulatory Position Statement 212 is in place to ensure that they can dispose of waste at their local household waste recycling centre. Alternatively, the local authority may arrange the collection and disposal of gathered litter. Under both circumstances, this would not fall within the scope of the requirements for segregation. Officials are working to provide further guidance on this in due course.