Michael Gove’s anti-plastic crackdown could see the price of pop bottles rise

BRITS could face higher charges for their favourite bottles of pop under a new anti-plastics crackdown, experts have warned.

Michael Gove is today unveiling new proposals to drive up recycling - including plans for a new tax on producers of plastic packaging which contains less than 30 per cent recycled materials.

The Environment Secretary is also launching proposals to introduce a deposit return schemes for bottles and weekly food waste collections.

While he is also consulting on plans to end the postcode lottery on recycling and ensure collections are the same across the country.

Ministers say the reforms will bring down the alarming rates of plastics still being sent to landfill sites.

But Kate Andrews, from the free market IEA think-tank, told The Sun the plastic package tax could backfire and drive up costs like the sugar tax did.

She said: “While taxes may be aimed at employers or producers, they often fall on workers and consumers.

“It has been estimated that more than half of corporation tax comes out of workers’ wages, while the sugar tax - which was sold as a tax on producers - drove up the price of many fizzy drinks at the till.

“Given the evidence, we should assume that at least some, if not the bulk, of this proposed green tax on plastic packaging will be paid by consumers.

“Tackling plastic waste is a worthy cause, but with the tax burden at a near-fifty year high, we should be honest with people about where the costs will fall.”

Under the plastic packaging tax, producers will have to pay for the full cost of recycling the waste.

Mr Gove said: “We are committed to going further and faster to reduce, reuse, recycle and cut waste.

“That’s why we are leading the way to move away from being a ‘throw-away’ society and drive up domestic recycling.

Chancellor Philip Hammond said: “Plastic packaging makes up two-thirds of all the plastic waste that pollutes this country and wreaks havoc on our environment.

“It’s our responsibility to do something about it and that’s why we will introduce a new tax on the producers of plastic packaging that don’t use enough recycled material.”

Meanwhile, research seen by The Sun reveals that Labour-run councils have sent less than half the amount of household waste for reuse, recycling or composting than their Conservative-run counterparts over the past year.

Analysis by Tory HQ found that Conservative-run councils reused, recycled or composted 111,841 tonnes of household waste. Labour-run councils only reused, recycled or composted 55,525 tonnes.

Got a story? email digishowbiz@the-sun.co.uk or call us direct on 02077824220. We pay for videos too. Click here to upload yours.