Thank you to all those who have contacted me and the need to reduce plastic waste and the setting of targets in line with the Environment Act 2021.

It is clear that we need serious action on plastic pollution and single-use plastics. I also recognise the importance of taking the public with us. Without buy-in from the public, we are unlikely to achieve the change and progress our planet desperately needs.

As you rightly highlight, the Government has yet to implement targets required by the Environment Act 2021. It has committed to introduce draft legislation for a target in each of the areas of resource efficiency and waste reduction, air quality, water and biodiversity by 31 October. The proposed target for resource efficiency and waste reduction is to “reduce residual waste (excluding major mineral wastes) kg per capita by 50% by 2042 from 2019 levels”. Please rest assured that I will be monitoring developments on this closely.

The Government also currently aims to reduce all avoidable plastic waste to zero by 2042 and begin implementing Extended Producer Responsibility in 2024. This will mean that packaging producers will pay the full cost of managing packaging once it becomes waste, encouraging them to use less packaging and more recyclable materials.

I support the improvement of data collection in order to deliver evidence-based policies and better understand the end use of recycled material. I think a new end use register for recycled waste would achieve this. As you may know, the Government plans to introduce mandatory digital waste tracking across the UK in order to see what is happening to the waste we produce.

However, I am concerned that its plan to eliminate all avoidable plastic waste is years behind schedule. I supported efforts to amend the Environment Act 2021 to allow charges against all single-use materials to tackle the throwaway economy and culture we have seen. I am also committed to increasing recycling rates and improving processes around them.

I think we should begin work to prohibit the exportation of waste consisting wholly or mostly of plastic and address the underlying drivers of the waste problem. British people expect to see these exports banned.

Thank you once again for contacting me about this issue.