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Michael Gove takes on the 'throwaway culture' of plastic bottle waste Plastic bags charge set to be extended to small shops
(about 3 hours later)
Michael Gove has criticised a “throwaway culture” in which people are happy to use plastic bottles once and promised that the government would this week commit to firm action to counteract plastics waste. The 5p charge for plastic bags is expected to be applied to small shops under government plans to be unveiled by Theresa May this week as she seeks to tackle Britain’s “throwaway culture”.
The environment secretary told cabinet colleagues that he was determined to reduce demand for single-use bottles when the government unveiled its 25-year plan this week. In a major speech on the environment, the prime minister will promise to hold consultations on removing an exemption that allows retailers with fewer than 250 employees to continue to give out free bags. The levy on supermarkets and other large retailers resulted in a 90% decline in use, with nine billion fewer plastic bags being used.
The publication will come alongside a speech by Theresa May as part of a new year relaunch in which she wants the party to focus more heavily on a number of domestic issues. Such an extension would come alongside other measures to crack down on plastics pollution after Gove said he was “haunted” by images of the damage done to the world’s oceans shown on David Attenborough’s Blue Planet II TV series.
At Tuesday’s cabinet meeting, the prime minister “said the government had a clear belief in ‘conserving what is good, and standing against the profligate use of resources – whether it be public money or natural resources’,” her official spokesman said. May and Gove briefed cabinet ministers on Tuesday, ahead of the speech that will mark the publication of the government’s 25-year plan, that will include a focus on single-use plastics.
The prime minister “said the government had a clear belief in ‘conserving what is good, and standing against the profligate use of resources – whether it be public money or natural resources’,” according to her official spokesman.
May’s plan would be focused on the idea of becoming “the first generation to leave the natural environment in a better state than we inherited”.May’s plan would be focused on the idea of becoming “the first generation to leave the natural environment in a better state than we inherited”.
Gove praised the results of a 5p plastic bag charge, which has resulted in a 90% decline in use, and told cabinet he was determined to tackle “the throwaway culture that plastics encapsulate” with a series of new initiatives on Thursday, the spokesman said. Gove told colleagues he was determined to tackle “the throwaway culture that plastics encapsulate” with a series of new initiatives on Thursday, the spokesman added.
The prime minister’s spokesman added: “The environment secretary also said that he was working collaboratively with the secretary of state for international development to look at using aid money on the environmental agenda, such as reducing pollution by plastics.” “The environment secretary also said that he was working collaboratively with the secretary of state for international development to look at using aid money on the environmental agenda, such as reducing pollution by plastics.”
Gove has said he was “haunted” by images of the damage done to the world’s oceans by plastics pollution shown in David Attenborough’s Blue Planet II TV series. Gove arrived for the meeting carrying a reusable coffee cup made of bamboo fibre, after being criticised for previously turning up with a single-use takeaway option.
The environment secretary is understood to be considering proposals to encourage retailers to use fewer types of plastic and to get councils to adopt a standardised recycling policy. The current patchwork of regimes means many types of plastic are not collected from households. Together, the two measures are intended to ensure that a greater proportion of the packaging used in the UK can be recycled. Worries about overuse of 2.5bn disposable coffee cups each year has already been raised by campaigners, and the environmental audit committee has called for a 25p “latte levy” to be charged on top of the price of a hot drink.
The environment secretary is understood to be considering proposals to encourage retailers to use fewer types of plastic and to get councils to adopt a standardised recycling policy.
The current patchwork of regimes means many types of plastic are not collected from households. Together, the two measures are intended to ensure that a greater proportion of the packaging used in the UK can be recycled.
In the November budget, the chancellor, Philip Hammond, announced plans to investigate new taxes on single-use plastic items. Ministers are also considering a deposit return scheme for plastic bottles and other drink containers.