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

To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of (1) the extent to which the cost of plastic recycling has increased, and (2) the impact such an increase has had on local authorities; what are the reasons for any such cost increase; and what steps they are taking to mitigate the consequences of that increase.

The Government works with the Waste and Resources Action Programme (WRAP) to monitor recycling costs and WRAP publishes an annual Gate Fees report on costs of waste treatment. The latest report was published in July. Some local authorities (LAs) have indicated that the changing demand for waste may have caused additional pressures but that these are not universal and differ according to recycling arrangements and treatment contracts. We continue to monitor how markets might evolve in the coming months.

WRAP data shows that 99% of LAs collected plastic bottles for recycling in 2017/18, while 77% collected rigid mixed plastics (pots, tubs and trays). Councils will come to different decisions about which materials they collect for recycling, depending on local factors and the ability to sell these materials on to recycling companies.

The UK Government wants want to create a vibrant market for recycled materials in the UK, including plastic, and to improve recycling.

Our Resources and Waste Strategy will set out measures to deliver these ambitions.