Now 72% want a plastic bottle deposit scheme
AN overwhelming majority of Britons back having a bottle deposit scheme to tackle plastic waste.
A poll found 72 per cent of the population support the introduction of a deposit and refund scheme (DRS).
the same proportion believe England and Wales should match the scheme that is proposed for Scotland that covers metal and glass drinks bottles as well as plastic.
the findings are a vindication of the Daily Mail’s efforts to highlight the dangers of plastic waste dating back more than ten years, including the turn the tide on Plastic campaign.
Currently, only about four in ten of the estimated 35million plastic bottles and 20million aluminium cans used daily are collected and recycled. As many as 700,000 end up littering the streets every day.
By contrast, in other European countries such as Norway and germany recycling rates of more than nine in ten are achieved using full deposit return schemes.
the survey was commissioned by the Campaign to Protect Rural England (CPRE), which is among a raft of charities, green groups, businesses and retailers backing the idea.
the poll will put pressure on the new Boris Johnson government to follow through on pledges to introduce DRS, which were made by Michael gove at the end of his tenure as Environment Secretary earlier this week. his successor theresa Villiers is expected to push ahead with the idea.
As things stand, the government has indicated DRS will be introduced by 2023. however Scotland is expected to launch a scheme – involving a returnable fee of 20p – sooner.
Earlier this month, the CPRE reported that an ‘all-in’ deposit return system covering all forms of drinks container could generate £2billion for the economy over ten years.
this boost would come from a reduction in the amount of waste sent to landfill, fewer littered drinks containers and less of their associated cleanup costs, reduced air and water pollution, and less carbon emissions caused by the extraction and production of raw materials needed to produce new drinks containers.
Maddy haughton-Boakes, of the CPRE, said: ‘It’s absolutely fantastic that so many people have shown such high levels of support for the scheme before it’s even been introduced.
‘A deposit return system will transform the way we deal with waste, boost recycling and, as a result, finally put a stop to the harm that drinks containers are causing our countryside, environment and wildlife. We urge theresa Villiers to hit the ground running in her new role as Environment Secretary.
‘She must... introduce the most effective system in the world – one that includes every single drinks bottle, can, carton or pouch of every size and material – and not give in to attempts to water down the system for vested corporate interests.’
Black plastic trays are being removed from all Sainsbury’s chilled ready meals. Its new trays will come in rainbow colours and are made from recycled plastic, mostly from drinks bottles. the supermarket’s move, which follows similar plans by Waitrose, will take more than 1,000 tons of black plastic from the waste system every year.