Plastics: Biodegradability and Compost
(asked on 23rd January 2018) - View Source
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, how much has been spent from the public purse on research and development in the field of biodegradable and compostable plastics in each of the last 15 years.
The Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy sets the overall budgets of the independent Research Councils and Innovate UK, which then allocate funds for individual grants and research organisations in line with the Haldane Principle.
The Research Councils and Innovate UK have spent the following amounts on research and development in the field of biodegradable and compostable plastics in each of the last 15 years. Data older than 10 years may be less reliable. Further information on research and development projects can be found on the RCUK Gateway to Research, see: http://gtr.rcuk.ac.uk.
| Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC) | Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC) | Innovate UK | Total |
2016/17 | £210,000 | £4,644,293 | £104,344 | £4,958,637 |
2015/16 | £276,000 | £3,663,120 | £0 | £3,939,120 |
2014/15 | £262,000 | £3,352,169 | £5,000 | £3,619,169 |
2013/14 | £219,000 | £2,744,545 | £792,827 | £3,756,372 |
2012/13 | £110,000 | £1,444,270 | £0 | £1,554,270 |
2011/12 | £0 | £1,508,745 | £248,045 | £1,756,790 |
2010/11 | £233,000 | £1,481,377 | £0 | £1,714,377 |
2009/10 | £394,000 | £1,848,298 | £0 | £2,242,298 |
2008/9 | £514,000 | £2,390,929 | £0 | £2,904,929 |
2007/8 | £463,000 | £1,445,324 | £0 | £1,908,324 |
2006/7 | £114,000 | £1,011,496 | £0 | £1,125,496 |
2005/6 | £34,000 | £717,932 | £0 | £715,932 |
2004/5 | £8,000 | £476,455 | £0 | £484,455 |
2003/4 | £67,000 | £227,859 | £0 | £294,859 |
2002/3 | £90,000 | £259,863 | £0 | £349,863 |
Total | £2,994,000 | £27,216,675 | £1,150,216 | £31,360,891 |
In the last 15 years, DEFRA has spent approximately £277,000 on a number of research projects in the field of biodegradable and compostable plastics.