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| Waste plan floats bottle deposit scheme | Waste plan floats bottle deposit scheme |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| Consumers will have to pay a returnable deposit on bottles, cans and disposable cups under a new government strategy. | Consumers will have to pay a returnable deposit on bottles, cans and disposable cups under a new government strategy. |
| Homes in England will be provided by councils with separate collections for food waste. | Homes in England will be provided by councils with separate collections for food waste. |
| Recycling will be made less confusing for households, and manufacturers will need to foot the cost of disposing of the goods they produce. | Recycling will be made less confusing for households, and manufacturers will need to foot the cost of disposing of the goods they produce. |
| The plan has been cautiously welcomed by green groups, but some business groups are wary. | The plan has been cautiously welcomed by green groups, but some business groups are wary. |
| The strategy is designed to help combat climate change, safeguard resources and reduce the flow of plastic to the ocean. | The strategy is designed to help combat climate change, safeguard resources and reduce the flow of plastic to the ocean. |
| Check what you can recycle in your area | Check what you can recycle in your area |
| Plastic recycling: How do bottle deposit schemes work? | Plastic recycling: How do bottle deposit schemes work? |
| A passion for recycling: 'It's my day job' | |
| Why are the changes needed? | Why are the changes needed? |
| The last waste strategy was set out 11 years ago and since then concern has boomed over climate change, the oceans and the way we use resources. | The last waste strategy was set out 11 years ago and since then concern has boomed over climate change, the oceans and the way we use resources. |
| Rotting waste is a major source of greenhouse gases that are over-heating the planet. And plastic litter is killing marine life. | Rotting waste is a major source of greenhouse gases that are over-heating the planet. And plastic litter is killing marine life. |
| The government’s Resources and Waste Strategy sets out how ministers aim to change the way we deal with waste from the home to the workplace. | The government’s Resources and Waste Strategy sets out how ministers aim to change the way we deal with waste from the home to the workplace. |
| What are the proposals exactly? | What are the proposals exactly? |
| The Environment Secretary Michael Gove said: “Our strategy sets out how we will go further and faster, to reduce, reuse, and recycle. Together we can move away from being a ‘throw-away’ society, to one that looks at waste as a valuable resource." | The Environment Secretary Michael Gove said: “Our strategy sets out how we will go further and faster, to reduce, reuse, and recycle. Together we can move away from being a ‘throw-away’ society, to one that looks at waste as a valuable resource." |
| How does this affect you? | How does this affect you? |
| Plans are not finalised, and many issues are under consultation, but broadly here is how this would affect you: | Plans are not finalised, and many issues are under consultation, but broadly here is how this would affect you: |
| There are considerable differences currently around the UK. For instance, only around 35% of households in England are obliged to put food waste in its own caddy. That compares with 56% in Scotland and 100% in Wales. The figures exclude food waste mixed with garden waste. | There are considerable differences currently around the UK. For instance, only around 35% of households in England are obliged to put food waste in its own caddy. That compares with 56% in Scotland and 100% in Wales. The figures exclude food waste mixed with garden waste. |
| Analysis | Analysis |
| We must stop throwing so much away, because there is no "away". | We must stop throwing so much away, because there is no "away". |
| This is the key philosophy behind the government waste strategy. It is a huge and complicated area of policy, touching the lives of each of us, of businesses and of councils as well as government. | This is the key philosophy behind the government waste strategy. It is a huge and complicated area of policy, touching the lives of each of us, of businesses and of councils as well as government. |
| There is frustration among campaigners and opposition parties that many policy details are missing, and many going out to further consultation. | There is frustration among campaigners and opposition parties that many policy details are missing, and many going out to further consultation. |
| But some of the measures do look genuinely ambitious, and experts say that some of the policies will go further than those proposed by the EU. | But some of the measures do look genuinely ambitious, and experts say that some of the policies will go further than those proposed by the EU. |
| If Michael Gove actually delivers, many will think the wait has been worthwhile, as this strategy could transform our attitudes to resources on the planet. | If Michael Gove actually delivers, many will think the wait has been worthwhile, as this strategy could transform our attitudes to resources on the planet. |
| How are people reacting to the plans? | How are people reacting to the plans? |
| Libby Peake from the Green Alliance responded: “There’s a lot of good in the policy – it’s on the right lines. But we need to see the detail of exactly how things will work.” | Libby Peake from the Green Alliance responded: “There’s a lot of good in the policy – it’s on the right lines. But we need to see the detail of exactly how things will work.” |
| She, and others, worry that major retailers will persuade the government during its consultation phase to exclude large drinks bottles from the deposit return scheme. | She, and others, worry that major retailers will persuade the government during its consultation phase to exclude large drinks bottles from the deposit return scheme. |
| The British Retail Consortium says most of the problem with beach litter is “on-the-go” containers, not one litre bottles from supermarkets. | The British Retail Consortium says most of the problem with beach litter is “on-the-go” containers, not one litre bottles from supermarkets. |
| They also fear the cost of installing the “reverse vending” machines that pay people for returning their containers. | They also fear the cost of installing the “reverse vending” machines that pay people for returning their containers. |
| Shadow environment secretary Sue Hayman said: "You can't aim to prevent fly tipping without ending cuts to the councils. And we need a plan for stopping the export of UK recycling and waste plastics to countries where they currently end up in landfill or polluting our oceans. | Shadow environment secretary Sue Hayman said: "You can't aim to prevent fly tipping without ending cuts to the councils. And we need a plan for stopping the export of UK recycling and waste plastics to countries where they currently end up in landfill or polluting our oceans. |
| "Rather than a vision for building our recycling infrastructure, it talks about voluntary action and distant target deadlines, while talking up the value of more incinerators." | "Rather than a vision for building our recycling infrastructure, it talks about voluntary action and distant target deadlines, while talking up the value of more incinerators." |
| Councils fear that if aluminium cans are part of the deposit scheme they will no longer appear in household bins, where they are the most lucrative item for recycling. | Councils fear that if aluminium cans are part of the deposit scheme they will no longer appear in household bins, where they are the most lucrative item for recycling. |
| Martin Tett from the Local Government Association, which represents councils, welcomed plans for companies to pay the cost of recycling their products. | Martin Tett from the Local Government Association, which represents councils, welcomed plans for companies to pay the cost of recycling their products. |
| However he warned: "Moves to standardise waste services, including weekly food collections, need to be fully funded." | However he warned: "Moves to standardise waste services, including weekly food collections, need to be fully funded." |
| Samantha Harding, from the green group CPRE, told BBC News she welcomed some proposals in the report. She said: “Separating food waste is essential – because decomposing food in general household bins reduces the value of other material sent for re-cycling.” | Samantha Harding, from the green group CPRE, told BBC News she welcomed some proposals in the report. She said: “Separating food waste is essential – because decomposing food in general household bins reduces the value of other material sent for re-cycling.” |
| There is some frustration among campaigners that key issues are still not tied down after many months of debate. | There is some frustration among campaigners that key issues are still not tied down after many months of debate. |
| But sources suggest the Treasury is resisting measures that might increase costs, and industry is warning that rushed policies could backfire. | But sources suggest the Treasury is resisting measures that might increase costs, and industry is warning that rushed policies could backfire. |
| Today’s plans build on the Autumn Budget, which announced a world-leading tax on plastic packaging with less than 30% recycled content - subject to consultation. | Today’s plans build on the Autumn Budget, which announced a world-leading tax on plastic packaging with less than 30% recycled content - subject to consultation. |
| Follow Roger on Twitter. | Follow Roger on Twitter. |