A key step in reducing the flow of plastic waste damaging wildlife
and the environment in Wales will be made today as a Bill banning
single-use plastics is expected to be laid before the Senedd.
Tackling the climate and nature emergencies is at the heart of
the Welsh Government’s priorities. Most plastic is made from
fossil fuels. Reducing it can assist our efforts towards net
zero, helping reduce our carbon footprint to minimise the worst
impacts of the climate emergency.
In 2011, Wales was one of the first countries in the world to
introduce a charge for single-use carrier bags, and it is
currently ranked as the world’s third best domestic recycler.
Now, the Welsh Government will be at the forefront of action on
plastic with Wales set to become the first part of the UK to
legislate against such a comprehensive list of single-use
plastics.
The Environmental Protection (Single-use Plastic Products)
(Wales) Bill will make it an offence to supply or offer to supply
littered and unnecessary disposable single-use plastic products
to consumers in Wales.
It provides local authorities with powers to enforce the offence,
and includes:
- cutlery
- plates
- stirrers
- drinking straws – this product has an exemption for health
needs
- plastic stemmed cotton buds
- balloon sticks
- expanded and foamed extruded polystyrene fast-food containers
- expanded and foamed extruded polystyrene cups
- polystyrene lids for all cups and fast-food containers
- thin plastic single-use carrier bags
- all products made of oxo-degradable plastic
The decision to include these products follows a consultation in
2020, with all having non-plastic or reusable alternatives.
Importantly, the Bill will also give Ministers the power, with
the support of the Senedd, to add or remove products, placing
Wales in the driving seat for future action.
The Welsh Government will also continue to work with industry,
businesses, third sector bodies, academia, and others to help
develop future policies.
The Minister for Climate Change, , said:
This is a big moment in our journey towards a plastic-free Wales.
Single-use plastic products are often seen littered in our
streets, parks and seas. Not only are they unsightly, but they
have a devastating impact on our wildlife and environment.
With a Team Wales effort, we have to say no to the single-use
item culture, so we avoid leaving a toxic legacy of plastic for
future generations to deal with.
By thinking differently, making lifestyle changes and choosing
re-usable products, we can save money and help fight the
devastating impacts of climate change.
The issue of plastic waste is a common problem across Wales,
often ending up in places like Cardiff Bay, where Cardiff Harbour
Authority and volunteers from organisations like Cardiff Rivers
Group carry out regular clean-ups, collecting around 500 tonnes
of litter each year, much of it plastic.
Speaking of the Bill’s expected introduction to tackle the
problem, Deputy Chief Executive of Keep Wales Tidy, Louise
Tambini said:
Keep Wales Tidy welcomes legislation to ban single-use plastics.
It is a positive step on our journey towards truly transforming
the way we consume plastics and reduce waste as a nation.
Crucially, it paves the way for industry to move away from
polluting practices which are damaging our environment and
harming our wildlife.
We hope that the powers granted in the Bill will allow Wales to
respond to emerging threats of other single-use products as
consumer trends continue to evolve.
