Key Facts

• Schedule 9 focuses on charges for single-use plastic items.
• The amendment proposed by Whitehead aimed to broaden the scope to all single-use items, not just plastic.
• The Minister highlights the success of the carrier bag charge in reducing plastic use.
• Total UK food waste was projected at 10.2 million tonnes.
• Households produced 7.1 million tonnes of food waste.
• Clause 54 substitutes existing provisions for separate collection of household waste under the Environmental Protection Act 1990.
• Alan Whitehead is concerned that some clauses in the Environment Bill might not clearly mandate weekly food waste collections by all local authorities.
• He highlights the importance of separating food waste for specific purposes such as anaerobic digestion.
• The MP seeks precise information on how the clause will ensure consistency in recycling practices across England.
• Clause 56 provides regulation-making powers needed for electronic waste tracking in Northern Ireland.
• The amendment proposes replacing 'may' with 'must', aiming to strengthen legislation.
• The Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs should have flexibility on when and how to use the enabling power.
• Amendment 177 proposes prohibiting exportation of plastic waste from March 2025.
• Existing international commitments under the Basel Convention already prohibit sending polluting waste to non-OECD countries.
• The amendment aims to address unsustainable growth, lack of domestic recycling infrastructure, and limited end markets for secondary materials.
• The UK exports more waste than it imports.
• Waste exported includes a wide variety of materials.
• China's green wall policy restricts waste importation.
• Malaysia returned 27 bales of waste to the UK.
• The amendment proposes stopping plastic waste export from March 2025.
• The amendment would prohibit the export of 'waste consisting wholly or mostly of plastic' by March 2025.
• OECD countries represent 80% of the world’s investment and wealth.
• Exports of waste for recycling between OECD countries are covered by an international agreement—the OECD decision—which provides a framework for controlling movements of waste.
• The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs required local authorities to draw up local air quality plans.
• Southampton was one of the cities affected by this requirement.
• Other Government Departments criticized local authority proposals for impeding transport or being bad for business.
• The Environment Bill includes provisions for air quality management.
• Local authorities need greater cooperation from other bodies to address pollution levels effectively.
• A call for evidence was launched on 5 October regarding designating relevant public authorities.
• Estimated cost of revised local air quality management frameworks is £13,000 per year per local authority.
• Vehicles emitting more pollution than certified standards must be recalled and fixed.
• Secondary legislation for the recall regime will be introduced at the earliest opportunity.
• A full public consultation on draft regulations is planned before implementation.