www.litternet.org.uk

Research suggests an annual reduction of 34,493 tonnes of plastic waste in 2024 increasing to 58,007 tonnes by 2033.

www.litternet.org.uk

14 July 2021 Text of letter sent to local MP about the delay in the Deposit Return System and Extended Producer Responsibility timetable Dear ……………. MP You have done much to help cut back the use of single use plastic - not least in your support for ………………and other plastics campaigners in …………. I would appreciate your advice about the current government timetable for implementing the Resources and Waste Strategy, in particular measures to (1) encourage recycling - a Deposit Return Scheme - and (

Deposit Return Schemes(DRS)

As promised in the Waste and Resources Strategy, the Government will introduce a deposit return scheme for drinks containers.

As yet it has not been decided whether this will apply to all bottles and cans or just the smaller ones which are discarded “on the go’. This will have implications for the drinks manufacturers as well as for consumers.​

A Deposit Return Scheme (DRS) is a vital ingredient in the fight against litter but, to be effective it needs to run alongside Extended Producer Responsibility legislation which is currently not expected to be delivered until late 2023. In addition, the England and Wales DRS is out of step with the Scottish DRS (which currently has an ambitious delivery target early 2021) and this could cause a number of problems. So timing is a major complication and may threaten the integrity of what eventually emerges.