3 out of 4 back bottle deposit scheme to beat plastic blight

THREE in four people back a deposit-and-refund scheme for plastic bottles, a landmark poll reveals today.

The strong support for the measure to tackle waste and littering will fuel demands for urgent Government action.

According to the YouGov survey, 73 per cent of respondents support or strongly support the idea of deposits on bottles and drinks cans. Just 9 per cent were against.

Sandy Luk, of the Marine Conservation Society, which commissioned the poll, said: ‘Our poll demonstrates just how strong public support is for a deposit-return system. This has been shown to be simple and effective in reducing litter.’

Daily Mail campaigns to end the waste, littering and threat to the environment from plastic bottles, microbeads and plastic bags have won support from millions of consumers and across the political spectrum. MPs from all parties back a deposit-return scheme and will today present a 250,000strong petition supporting the idea to Downing Street.

A 30ft boat made from plastic bottles collected by beach clean volunteers from Surfers Against Sewage will also be beached outside Parliament.

A spokesman for the group said: ‘A deposit-return system would prevent an estimated four million plastic bottles from entering the oceans every week in the UK.’

Opposition comes from the large supermarkets, which do not want to run a scheme. They also initially tried to kill off the 5p charge on plastic bags.