Plastic packaging ban 'could harm environment'
Consumer
pressure to end plastic packaging in shops could actually be harming the
environment, a report says.
Firms
are swapping to other packaging materials which are potentially even worse for
the environment, the cross-party Parliamentary group warns.
Glass
bottles, for instance, are much heavier than plastic so are far more polluting
to transport.
Paper
bags tend to have higher carbon emissions than plastic bags – and are more
difficult to re-use.
The
change in packaging materials has been prompted by concern from shoppers about
the impact of plastic waste in the oceans.
But
the authors of the report,
called Plastic Promises, say the consequences of using new materials
have not been properly assessed.
Several
supermarkets, for instance, are selling more drinks in coated cartons under the
assumption that they can be recycled.
In
fact, the Green Alliance says, the UK only has the facilities to recycle a
third of the coated containers in circulation.
Compostable confusion
The
group has been working with recycling organisations to survey shops’ anonymous
responses to public anxiety about plastic polluting the oceans.
Its
spokeswoman, Libby Peake, told BBC News: “A lot of shops are selling packaging
described as biodegradable or compostable.
“In
fact the items might only be composted in an industrial composter – and, even
then, some items might not be fully digested.”
The
report says: “Over 80% of consumers think biodegradable or compostable plastic
is environmentally friendly, but there is little understanding of what the
terms mean and how the material should be dealt with.
“Our
interviewees wanted a clearer approach to where it should be used and how it
should be marked to avoid confusing consumers and potentially causing more
problems.”
The
retailers worried that confusion could potentially harm the environment if
people either put "compostable" plastic in with conventional plastic,
or littered it, wrongly assuming it would biodegrade like an apple core.
Some
companies that had tried using this type of plastic also suggested that the
material did not degrade as expected in real world conditions.
One
firm is quoted as saying: “Consumers are hugely confused about what bio-based,
compostable and biodegradable mean.
“We
are aware that [by switching from plastic to other materials] we may, in some
cases, be increasing our carbon footprint.”
Another
said: "If I could have a magic wand, I’d like to see more joined up,
top-down government intervention… We would like to see government be
braver."
A
different firm said: “Packaging technology innovations can be quite the
competitive advantage in the current climate.”
Andrew
Opie, from the British Retail Consortium, echoed calls for a clearer strategy.
He
said: “All responsible retailers agree that climate change needs to be at the
heart of their business, whether that is sourcing products or changing
packaging.
“Plastic
remains the most effective material in many circumstances - for example
cucumbers wrapped in plastic last 14 days longer, reducing food waste.
"A
coherent waste and resources strategy is one that prioritises reducing the
environmental impact of the things we buy, not simply reducing plastic use.”
The
government published its resources and waste strategy in December 2018, and has
conducted initial consultations on three policies: extended producer
responsibility for packaging; introducing a deposit return system for drinks
bottles; and bringing in greater consistency for recycling and waste
collections.
Ministers
say businesses will pay for 100% of costs for dealing with material when it
becomes waste, as opposed to around 10% currently.
Consultations
on the three topics are expected later this year, but the timeline for their
implementation remains unclear, and the government has not confirmed if the
deposit return will apply to all materials and container sizes.
REUTERS |
The
government has partially banned microbeads, and a ban on plastic straws,
stirrers and cotton buds is set to come in later this year.
A
ban on expanded polystyrene has also been mooted and the Treasury has promised
to introduce a tax on plastic packaging that does not include at least 30%
recycled content.
The
UK has committed to adopting the EU’s Circular Economy Package, which includes
much more stringent recycling targets, but has not committed to transposing the
Single-Use Plastics Directive, which requires more widespread action on plastic
reduction, including bans on plastic cutlery.
They
have said, however, that they will meet or exceed whatever the EU does in this
area.
It
is also not clear if the UK will adopt the EU’s much more wide-ranging ban on
microbeads.
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