Firms try to water down bottles plan

THE plastics and packaging industries are trying to derail efforts to bring in a deposit and return scheme on bottles and cans.

The industry and some council bodies have been lobbying MPs and ministers to severely restrict any such scheme to smaller ‘on-thego’ plastic bottles.

This would make the system in England different to Scotland, where there are plans to include all drinks containers, regardless of size, made of plastic, glass and metal.

Campaigners against plastic waste warn that adopting two deposit and return schemes (DRS) would create enormous confusion.

Environment Secretary Michael Gove has set up a group to investigate how DRS could work in England. It is due to report shortly.

The British Plastics Federation has raised numerous objections with MPs to DRS.

Packaging industry trade body, INCPEN, has lobbied against any form of DRS.