UK gov't mulls having laws to reduce waste

The number of responses to the Treasury’s call to reduce single-use plastic is said to be the largest in their history.

Chancellor of the Exchequer Philip Hammond announced that they will start thinking about policies that will impose taxes on single-use plastic items after 162,000 people responded to the Treasury’s call for evidence on “Tackling the Plastic Problem”.

The said responses are mostly directed at the reduction of items such as single-use cups, plastic cutlery, plastic takeaway packaging and plastic sachets for sauce.

The revenues collected from the said tax will be for the production of recycled plastic materials.

Also taken under consideration is the ‘latte levy’ that will put a 25p tax on disposable coffee cups.

“We are determined to be the first generation to leave the environment in a better state than we found it. By tackling the scourge of plastic waste, we can secure a cleaner, greener future for our country,” Hammond said.