Lord Robathan: I applaud this Government's plastics policy, but more must be done to tackle plastic waste
2 min read
The Government's policy on single use plastic should go further to; change public attitudes, introduce a plastic taxation, and encourage urgent further research into recycling plastics, writes Lord Robathan.
Plastics have been a fantastic boon to our modern civilisation, found in almost every aspect of life and industry today. In particular, we all see daily the part plastic plays in prolonging shelf life and in the preservation of food, which should be immensely useful in preventing food waste.
Unfortunately, as so often, mankind has misused this brilliant creation and we also see daily the impact of discarded plastic litter, in our streets and ditches, as well as in the oceans, less visible but revealed particularly by David Attenborough and others.
We have all probably ingested a great many micro particles of plastic which cannot be seen but which may be causing long term damage to wildlife and perhaps humans.
What to do? The plastic bag tax, introduced in October 2015, has led to a dramatic reduction of some 85% in the numbers of bags issued - as well as those found in our streets and streams. And behaviour has changed as a result, with the majority of shoppers now taking their own bags or old-fashioned baskets to supermarkets.
Government can play its part therefore – as with this tax and further moves such as Michael Gove’s announcement that plastic straws and cotton buds will be banned. This government is to be applauded on its actions and I wish to see this policy direction continue and go further. In particular, the government role should be three-fold:
First, encouraging a change in public attitudes (as in taking baskets shopping) through education and public awareness. Not at great cost but moving the argument yet further forward, perhaps by example or even by a campaign on social media.
Second, the possibility of taxation, as a stick to wean people off, for instance, single use plastic bottles.
Third, encouraging – or even sponsoring – urgent further research into how to recycle plastics or how to reuse the embedded energy, especially petrochemicals, found in plastics. Currently, the huge amount of plastic waste is viewed as a problem, but it might be that it could become an asset.
The appetite for change is out there – the Guide movement announced action yesterday and marches by schoolchildren against climate change shows environmental concern moving into public consciousness – but we can all play our part.
For myself, I would start by explaining to the young that carrying a single use plastic water bottle should gradually become not just unnecessary but unacceptable.
Lord Andrew Robathan is Conservative Member of the House of Lords.
PoliticsHome Newsletters
Get the inside track on what MPs and Peers are talking about. Sign up to The House's morning email for the latest insight and reaction from Parliamentarians, policy-makers and organisations.
