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

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps his Department is taking to assess the potential toxicity of bioplastics; and whether he plans to introduce specific toxicity testing requirements beyond existing waste management regulations.

Chemical substances, including monomers, which are constituent components of bioplastics manufactured in or imported into the UK are subject to the requirements of our regulatory framework. This includes UK REACH (Registration, Evaluation, Authorisation & Restriction of Chemicals), for which Defra has policy responsibility, and which requires manufacturers and importers to understand the hazards of the chemicals they are placing on the market, including their toxicity and ecotoxicology.