Individuals, businesses and campaign groups have expressed
overwhelming support for action on tackling the impact of
plastics on our environment.
The backing comes as HM Treasury publishes the summary of
responses to its recent call for evidence on how tax can be
used to reduce plastic waste. The call attracted an
unprecedented 162,000 responses, the highest in the Treasury’s
history.
The Chancellor, , has reiterated the
department’s commitment to take action through the tax system
to reduce the amount of single-use plastic waste. The views
received will help inform and shape the Government’s approach
ahead of this year’s Budget.
Measures which received noteworthy public support and are being
considered include using the tax system to:
- Encourage greater use of recycled plastic in manufacturing
rather than new plastic
- Discourage the use of difficult to recycle plastics, like
carbon black plastic
- Reduce demand for single-use plastics like coffee-cups and
takeaway boxes
- Encourage further recycling as opposed to incineration
The Exchequer Secretary, , while visiting a plastic
pollution clean-up operation on Perranporth Beach in Cornwall,
said:
“Tackling the scandal of plastic pollution is one of our top
priorities and we know the public is right behind us. I’ve been
overwhelmed by the public support and the responses we’ve
received will be invaluable as we develop our plans for using
the tax system to combat this.
“Our duty to leave the environment in a better state than we
found it is absolutely clear and what we’ve set out today is
another important step to ensuring a cleaner, greener future
for Britain.”
Hugo Tagholm, CEO of Surfers Against Sewage, said:
"Surfers Against Sewage is delighted with the huge public
response to the Treasury’s recent call for evidence on how the
tax system could be used to reduce plastic waste, which many of
our supporters responded to.
“This is a clear indication of the public appetite for more
fiscal interventions to help reduce plastic pollution littering
our environment, from inner-city streets and countryside to our
oceans."
The Treasury is also looking at how it could further support
measures to fund the development of new, greener products and
innovative processes that will help ensure a more sustainable
future for the country.
This work forms part of the Government’s overall commitment in
its 25 Year Environment
Planto eliminate all avoidable plastic waste. It builds on
the recently announced £20 million plastics innovation fund –
to support the production of sustainable and recyclable
plastics – and follows the £61.4 million announced by the Prime
Minister to be invested in tackling plastic in the world’s
oceans.
Notes to editors
