Britain's youngest MP has introduced a Bill into Parliament to set binding targets for retailers to reduce the amount of packaging they use.

Liberal Democrat MP Jo Swinson has introduced a Bill to reduce packaging

Jo Swinson, MP for East Dunbartonshire, introduced the Packaging (Reduction) Bill in the Commons yesterday, as local authorities and trading standards officers warned that current measures on excess packaging are failing.

Ms Swinson has taken on and expanded a Bill, attempted earlier this year by her Liberal Democrat colleague Andrew Stunell (see letsrecycle.com story), having gained approval for such action from Lib Dem members at the party's annual conference last month (see letsrecycle.com).

She told MPs that there were problems with the government's current voluntary approach to packaging reduction in the retail and grocery sectors.

And, with her Bill proposing a national organisation to lead on the reduction of packaging, Ms Swinson said that existing legal requirements for companies to use the minimum amount of packaging necessary were not working.

Measures

The Packaging (Reduction) Bill includes five measures to tackle the issue of packaging:
• Reform of Defra's voluntary producer responsibility agreement, the Courtauld Commitment, to include legally-binding targets for the reduction of packaging;
• A strengthening of the power of trading standards officers to tackle excess packaging;
• Creation of a new national body to lead on packaging reduction;
• Placing responsibilities on supermarkets to provide recycling points for their shoppers' packaging waste;
• And, encouraging the reuse of plastic bags with a deposit scheme based on a 10 pence levy returned when bags are recycled.

Speaking in the House of Commons, Ms Swinson said: "Much packaging is essential: we would have a problem getting a pint of milk or baked beans home without it. Much of it, however, is not. Even in our environmentally-conscious times, packaging has recently been growing, not falling."

Arguing the case for her Bill, Ms Swinson said families pay £470 a year on packaging alone, but that the government's work to reduce its environmental impact has been "limited".

The MP highlighted positive steps taken by WRAP - the Waste and Resources Action Programme - to try to reduce packaging use, but lamented the "missed opportunity" in the new English waste strategy regarding packaging reduction measures.

Regarding excess packaging use, Ms Swinson said it was "far too easy" for companies to show they are complying with the existing legislation in the Packaging (Essential Requirements) Regulations.

"Since the introduction of those, and their predecessor regulations nine years ago, there have been just four prosecutions for excess packaging. I have surveyed trading standards services around the country, and they are clearly finding it difficult to build a case for enforcement using the regulations," she explained.

The Packaging (Reduction) Bill has also been backed by MPs including Chris Huhne, Susan Kramer, Norman Baker, John Barrett, Jenny Willott, Peter Bottomley, Bob Spink, Derek Wyatt, Mark Lazarowicz and Sharon Hodgson.

However, without government support the Bill would face little prospect of getting through its second reading in the House tomorrow (October 25, 2007).

Trading standards

Both the Local Government Association and LACORS, which advises and supports council trading standards services, came out today in support of tougher regulations to make sure that shops and manufacturers cannot justify excess packaging on the basis of 'consumer acceptance' and marketing purposes.

They said around five million tonnes of annual household rubbish is used packaging, making up almost one fifth of all household waste.

Commenting on existing regulations on excess packaging, the chairman of the LGA's Environment Board, Cllr Paul Bettison, said: "The law simply isn't working. Local authority trading standards services find their hands tied by regulations which allow retailers to defend excessive packaging claiming it is what the customer wants or that it is required for the purposes of marketing. There's no incentive for manufacturers to cut down on packaging. Tougher laws must close the loopholes.

"Equally a maximum fine of £5,000 is a drop in the ocean for big companies. Only serious fines will act as a genuine deterrent to over-packaging," Cllr Bettison added.

Councillor Geoffrey Theobald OBE, Chairman of LACORS, said: "Council trading standards services are fighting a losing battle against producers who use excessive packaging because the legislation is simply too full of loopholes. Tougher laws and serious fines are needed if trading standards are to successfully crack down on businesses which deliberately flout the laws that determine what is acceptable packaging."

"Manufacturers have a vital role to play in cutting unnecessary packaging and making sure all essential packaging is made from recycled and recyclable material. The vast majority are moving in the right direction, with more recyclable materials being used than ever before. But there is still a minority of producers who are undermining the best efforts of councils, consumers and producers. The law must allow councils to take action against these businesses in the best interests of consumers and the environment," Cllr Theobald said.