The cross-party MPs’ parliamentary scrutiny body conducted an inquiry into the “growing problem” in July 2021 and published a report last November calling for a ban on the export of all plastic waste by the end of 2027 (see letsrecycle.com story).
The government response to the report, published today (27 January), disagreed with the ban, saying legitimate exports had a role in the management of the UK’s waste.
Within its response, the government reiterated its intention to ban plastic waste exports to non-OECD countries. However, the Efra committee claims such destinations only accounted for 20% of all UK exports in 2020 and said “this figure looks set to shrink yet further in any case”.
Sir Robert Goodwill MP, the committee’s chair, said it was a “shame” the government had turned down the recommendations.
“Plastic waste is one of the major environmental issues of our age – as a visit to many beaches or inland beauty spots will show,” Sir Robert said. “But what’s good for our environment could also have been good for the economy as well.
“Our recommendation to ban plastic waste exports by 2027 was partly aimed to help develop a multimillion-pound plastic waste recycling industry in the UK, supporting hundreds of jobs.”
EPR
The Efra’s committee’s report made recommendations across the whole plastic supply chain, including by calling for “tougher targets” and a “better focus” on reduction and the reuse of plastics. The government rejected most of these recommendations, the committee says.
What’s good for our environment could also have been good for the economy as well
– Sir Robert Goodwill MP, chair of the Efra committee
The recommendations included a call to make more plastic packaging producers pay for the cost of waste disposal.
Under the current proposals for extended producer responsibility (EPR) for packaging, businesses that produce less than 50 tonnes of plastic packaging will be exempt from charges. The committee recommended that this threshold should extend to companies producing more than one tonne of plastic packaging, though not until 2030, allowing smaller enterprises time to adapt.
However, the government said this would place too much of a burden on small producers.
Exports
Within its report, the Efra committee said the UK sends around 60% of the plastic waste it generates abroad for processing and had taken evidence of some British plastic waste being dumped and burned in Turkey.
Reacting to the government’s rejection of the ban, Sir Robert added: “We will be watching carefully to see if the government reaches its stated – but I’m afraid rather vague – ambition to eliminate what it calls ‘avoidable’ plastic waste by 2042 and make producers more responsible for the plastics they use.
“We acknowledge there are already some reforms in these areas – now we need to monitor their impact and see whether they properly tackle the problem of plastic waste.”
The waste sector’s response to the proposed export ban was decidedly negative. The Environmental Services Association, the trade association for the private waste sector, said it would seek a “high-level discussion” with Defra about how the sector could realise the government’s ambitions and move towards an export ban for plastics (see letsrecycle.com story).
The Recycling Association warned that waste crime would continue even if the government banned exports of plastics for recycling (see letsrecycle.com story). The RDF Industry Group reiterated this view earlier this week (see letsrecycle.com story).
And, waste management company Veolia said an all-out ban on plastic exports would “sacrifice the legitimate recycling market” for a globally traded commodity (see letsrecycle.com story).
Related link
Government response to the Efra committee report
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