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

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if she will take steps to help reduce waste caused by single use plastics.

This Government has already taken a number of steps to help reduce waste caused by single use plastics. We have banned the supply of single-use vapes, effective from 1 June 2025. From this date onwards all vapes sold in the UK must be rechargeable and refillable. We have also legislated to ban the supply and sale of wet wipes containing plastic in England, marking a major step forward in tackling the plastic and microplastic pollution which harms our waterways.

We will continue to review the latest evidence on problematic products and/or materials to take a systematic approach, in line with circular economy principles, to reduce the use of unnecessary single-use plastic products and encourage reuse solutions.