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

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what economic impact assessments the Government has undertaken in relation to the proposed deposit return scheme for England and Wales.

Defra has been developing proposals for a deposit return scheme (DRS) for drinks containers using further evidence and ongoing engagement with stakeholders. As part of this work, we have conducted further cost benefit analysis on the inclusion of glass in a DRS. The interim findings demonstrate that the inclusion of glass in the long term has a higher value than not including glass, given the potential for increased collection and recycling rates and the resulting greater reduction in greenhouse gas emissions.

Officials have also continued to meet with the glass industry on several occasions to discuss the inclusion of glass in a DRS. British Glass is a member of our DRS Industry Working Group and sits on Defra’s Packaging and Collections Working Group which provides input on the department’s collections and packaging reforms.

An Impact Assessment will be published alongside the second consultation which is due to be published shortly, which assesses the costs and benefits of a DRS, including the costs to business and the expected impact a DRS will have on recycling rates.

The Government’s commitment to introducing a DRS is part of its commitments to reform producer responsibility systems to incentivise producers to take greater responsibility for the environmental impacts of their products.