Alternatives to single-use plastic to be developed with help of £20m fighting fund

MINISTERS will today unveil a £20million fighting fund to help scientists develop new alternatives to singleuse plastic.

The Government hopes the move will help to reverse harm to the environment which is caused by the material. The new Plastics Research and Innovation Fund will be used to “come up with new technology and also new plastics that do not harm the environment so much”.

Sam Gyimah, the science minister who has confirmed the creation of the fund, said there had already been “incredible progress” in alerting people to the dangers of using single-use plastic, but that more still needed to be done.

Curbs on plastic use have become a central plank of Theresa May’s domestic policy agenda as the Tories seek to bolster their green credentials.

Mr Gyimah said: “There’s been incredible progress in making people aware of the danger that plastic can do to our environment and our oceans. Today we are announcing a £20million fund for our best scientists and researchers through UK research and innovation to come up with new technology and also new plastics that do not harm the environment so much.

“This means moving from our current model of make, use and dispose to a new model where you use, you reuse and you recycle.” The fund will be used to support research across many different sectors, including developing more environmentally-friendly packaging.

The announcement was made as it emerged that what is thought to be Europe’s only paper straw production plant is preparing to open in Wales. Transcend Packaging will supply millions of straws to more than 1,000 Mcdonald’s, The Guardian reported.

The Government has set out plans to ban plastic straws, stirrers and cotton buds as early as next year. It is also considering implementing a plastic bottle deposit return scheme similar to those that already exist in Denmark.