Clegg pledges to scrap bag levy exemptions

The Deputy Prime Minister announced the plans today (March 6) under his party’s Nature Bill, which would be pushed forward if the Liberal Democrats remain in government following the General Election in May.

As well as an exemption for biodegradable and paper bags, the legislation also exempts business with less than 250 employees from having to apply the charge.

Mr Clegg has said today that the Liberal Democrats would seek to have the charge applied universally across all single use bags, a plan that they believe would bring a significant volume of extra plastic and paper bags under the scope of the charge.

Commenting on the proposals Mr Clegg said: “The facts are simple; single use bags blight our towns and countryside, they trap and suffocate wildlife, and plastic bags take hundreds of years to degrade.

“The countdown to charging has begun, and by the time it arrives this autumn, reusable bags should increasingly be commonplace. As we get used to it, the hundreds of millions raised from the charge will go to charities.

“But we need to do much more. We need to go further and faster. This is why the Liberal Democrats will remove all single use bag exemptions, benefitting consumers, charities, small businesses, and the millions of families who enjoy our wildlife and countryside.”

Exemption

Plans to introduce a 5p levy on single-use plastic bags were originally announced by the Deputy Prime Minister in September 2013 (see letsrecycle.com story), but the government has been widely criticised for continuing with an exemption for biodegradable bags.

Opponents of the exemption for biodegradable bags say that it is not possible to recycle degradable bags alongside standard plastic carriers due to the difference in the material and promoting their use could undermine the recycling of plastic films and send conflicting messages over waste reduction.

Today’s announcement comes days after Mr Clegg also launched the Party’s policy on waste and recycling – under the ‘Zero Waste Bill’ – which pledges a 70% by 2030 recycling target and plans to escalate action on waste crime.