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

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what progress her Department has made in helping to reduce the amount of plastic waste.

This Government is committed to moving to a circular economy for plastics – a future where resources are kept in use for longer and waste is designed out. This systemic change, with investment in green jobs and vital infrastructure, builds a path to economic growth, progress towards Net Zero, restoration of nature, and a more resilient economy.

We are finalising the Circular Economy Growth Plan and intend to publish it soon.

The Government has also introduced the Extended Producer Responsibility for Packaging scheme. The scheme works by charging fees to the businesses that produce and/or supply household packaging. From 2026 fees will be higher for materials that are hard to recycle, and lower for packaging that can be easily recycled. Illustrative fees, published in December 2025, estimate that 45% of plastic packaging will attract a ‘red’ rating and therefore incur higher fees.

The Government is launching a Deposit Return Scheme (DRS) in October 2027 that will cover PET plastic and metal drinks containers (like bottles and cans). The aim of DRS is to reduce littering, boost recycling rates and improve material quality for recycling.