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

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, with reference to his Department’s publication entitled Our Waste, Our Resources: A Strategy for England, published on 18 December 2018, what his policy is on (a) extended producer responsibility and (b) product standards for (i) textiles, (ii) bulky waste items, (iii) construction and demolition materials, (iv) vehicle tyres and (v) fishing gear.

We are not exploring Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) for textiles, furniture, construction and fishing gear while we focus our efforts on delivering EPR for packaging. The Government remains committed to introducing EPR for packaging in 2025.

We are working on product standards for textiles, bulky waste items, construction and demolition material and fishing gear through:

• Bulky waste: To take forward our commitment to improve waste prevention in the furniture and furnishings sector we encourage sharing of best practice on product design and take-back systems, through trade associations, voluntary agreements, and industry standards, such as initiatives to reduce waste mattresses led by the National Bed Federation.

• Construction: The Government is working with industry to explore what policy interventions would best support a shift in the design of construction products to encourage greater reuse and use of recycled materials. This could potentially include options like resource efficiency product standards.

• Textiles: We support the Waste and Resources Action Programme with grant funding of £860,000 2023/24 for Textiles 2030 which, through working with industry, looks at improving textile product standards such as recyclability and durability. Circular design for fashion and textiles | WRAP

• End-of-life fishing gear: We are working through the British Standards Institution to improve gear design and reduce the environmental impact throughout its lifespan.

We do not have current plans to consult on EPR or product standards for vehicle tyres, but we will keep this option under review.