Michael Gove reveals every home in England will now get weekly food waste collections
Some councils have ditched weekly food collections but Environment Secretary Michael Gove has unveiled plans to restore them for every household
EVERY home in England will have weekly food waste collections under a new environmental crackdown unveiled by the Government last night.
Some councils have ditched weekly food collections but Environment Secretary Michael Gove unveiled plans to restore them for every household.
Town halls will also get more cash to improve waste and recycling systems, said Environment Secretary Michael Gove.
The Government will also consider introducing free garden waste collections for homes with gardens.
The plans are part of an ambitious new strategy to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from landfill and to ensure zero food waste is being dumped by 2030.
It is also part of a wider goal to achieve zero avoidable waste by 2050.
The new waste strategy comes after the latest figures for England revealed households recycling rates have all but flat-lined in recent years amid increasing concerns over single-use plastic waste.
Packaging will also have to be more clearly labelled to show if it can go in household recycling bins.
There are also plans for a deposit return scheme for plastic bottles, cans and disposable cups.
Mr Gove also announced that supermarkets will be forced to pay the full cost of recycling their waste. Currently producers only pay 10 per cent.
Councils will get more money to improve waste and recycling systems.
But experts warned that consumers would face higher prices on supermarket shelves under the plans to make companies pay 100 per cent of their cost of their packaging waste.
Chris Snowdon, head of lifestyle economics at the Institute of Economic Affairs, warned: “This is certainly an ambitious package of reforms but the public should get ready to pay for it.
“These policies will create many new costs, all of which will be passed onto consumers.
“Mr Gove’s plan is superficially appealing but it will place significant burdens on households in terms of both time and money.”
Andrew Opie from the British Retail Consortium said: “Retailers and consumers want to see a world with no plastic pollution and high levels of recycling; we, therefore, welcome a strategic approach to boosting the country’s recycling rates and waste management.
"Retailers are already making good progress towards this by removing, reducing and improving packaging, but we need Governmentcoordination and investment to build our recycling capacity and consistency, and ensure local authorities have the support to help us all recycle more.
“However, the public must also be given further reassurances that the materials they are putting into their recycling bins are actually being recycled.
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"The Government must be clear that the revenues raised from businesses through the proposals outlined will be reinvested into recycling infrastructure.”
Boss of the Federation of Small Businesses Mike Cherry warned: “There has been very little scrutiny of the impact of these measures.
"If implemented badly, some businesses may simply pass these costs onto consumers.”
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