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

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how much funding her Department plans to provide for plastic reprocessing infrastructure in each of the next three years; and if she will make an assessment of the potential impact of that funding on (a) trends in the level of (i) landfill, (ii) incineration and (iii) domestic recycling capacity.

Defra currently has no plans to fund plastics reprocessing infrastructure. There are existing mechanisms including the market-based Packaging Waste Recycling Notes (PRN) system to provide direct funding to the reprocessing sector.

This year sees the start of Defra’s packaging reforms. Simpler Recycling mandates that all local authorities and businesses in England collect the same core set of materials for recycling. These reforms will support private investment in infrastructure, including plastics, by building certainty and guaranteeing supply of materials for recycling. Simpler Recycling requirements will be extended to flexible plastics by 31 March 2027.