Asked by: Lord Blencathra (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they have any plans to consult on a proposal to phase out the use of black plastic containers, in the light of the inability of some automatic recycling sorting machines to recognise black plastic.
Answered by Lord Gardiner of Kimble
The recycling of packaging has risen from around 46% to 60% over the last decade and our packaging regulations and policies incentivise businesses to use less packaging and to ensure that their packaging can be recycled at end of life. There are no plans to ban any specific packaging materials at this time.
Almost all packaging is technically recyclable, including black plastic and expanded polystyrene. Some local authorities and waste management companies choose not to collect this type of packaging for recycling for various reasons, including cost of investing in new machinery which can sort this packaging.
WRAP has published a report on the technical solutions to improve the separation of black plastic in the sorting process and is working with a working group of industry and local authorities to put in place arrangements to expand the collection and recycling of black plastic from households.
Commercially, polystyrene is collected for recycling and producers are supporting work to increase recycling of this material. It is not commonly collected at the kerbside for recycling due to its bulk and low value as a secondary material.
Asked by: Lord Blencathra (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they have any plans to introduce legislation to require councils to accept polystyrene for recycling; and if not, whether they intend to ban the use of polystyrene as a packaging material once the UK has left the EU.
Answered by Lord Gardiner of Kimble
The recycling of packaging has risen from around 46% to 60% over the last decade and our packaging regulations and policies incentivise businesses to use less packaging and to ensure that their packaging can be recycled at end of life. There are no plans to ban any specific packaging materials at this time.
Almost all packaging is technically recyclable, including black plastic and expanded polystyrene. Some local authorities and waste management companies choose not to collect this type of packaging for recycling for various reasons, including cost of investing in new machinery which can sort this packaging.
WRAP has published a report on the technical solutions to improve the separation of black plastic in the sorting process and is working with a working group of industry and local authorities to put in place arrangements to expand the collection and recycling of black plastic from households.
Commercially, polystyrene is collected for recycling and producers are supporting work to increase recycling of this material. It is not commonly collected at the kerbside for recycling due to its bulk and low value as a secondary material.
Asked by: Lord Blencathra (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the effectiveness of the EU Food Safety Agency's plans to stop the spread of Xylella fastidiosa in Europe.
Answered by Lord Gardiner of Kimble
Certain subspecies of Xylella fastidiosa could be damaging to tree and plant species in the UK. We are pressing, at an EU level, for protections to be strengthened and will continue to keep this issue under review nationally. This includes taking account of the most up to date scientific information, including that published by the European Food Safety Authority, which has helped to inform the development of measures to protect against the disease and actions in response to findings within the EU.
On the basis of the current evidence, Defra’s Secretary of State has written to the European Commissioner for Health and Food Safety Vytensis Andriukaitis to raise concerns about EU protections against the disease and urge stronger action. The letter also highlights that national measures could be introduced in the event that the appropriate level of protection is not forthcoming through the EU review. The Chief Plant Health Officer has written to businesses growing and trading host plants to encourage good biosecurity and careful sourcing of plants. Copies of these letters will be placed in the library.
Asked by: Lord Blencathra (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask Her Majesty's Government whether the bacteria Xylella fastidiosa is capable of infecting tree and plant species in the UK; and if so, whether they are taking steps to ban the importation of any goods, produce, plants or other species that could bring the disease into the UK.
Answered by Lord Gardiner of Kimble
Certain subspecies of Xylella fastidiosa could be damaging to tree and plant species in the UK. We are pressing, at an EU level, for protections to be strengthened and will continue to keep this issue under review nationally. This includes taking account of the most up to date scientific information, including that published by the European Food Safety Authority, which has helped to inform the development of measures to protect against the disease and actions in response to findings within the EU.
On the basis of the current evidence, Defra’s Secretary of State has written to the European Commissioner for Health and Food Safety Vytensis Andriukaitis to raise concerns about EU protections against the disease and urge stronger action. The letter also highlights that national measures could be introduced in the event that the appropriate level of protection is not forthcoming through the EU review. The Chief Plant Health Officer has written to businesses growing and trading host plants to encourage good biosecurity and careful sourcing of plants. Copies of these letters will be placed in the library.
Asked by: Lord Blencathra (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether sampling of Spanish and French wine has been increased in the light of allegations that cheap Spanish wine is being labelled as French wine.
Answered by Lord Gardiner of Kimble
Wine sampling is conducted by Her Majesty’s Government on a random and risk-led basis. It therefore remains fully adaptable to respond to actual and perceived risks faced by the wine sector and consumers.
Asked by: Lord Blencathra (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what estimate they have made of the amount of food wasted because consumers equate or confuse best before dates with use by dates.
Answered by Lord Gardiner of Kimble
Research published in 2014 by the Waste and Resources Action Programme (WRAP) shows that 48% (2.0 million tonnes) of avoidable household food waste arises because the food is not used in time. A date label was mentioned as the trigger for disposal for one third of such instances (around 660,000 tonnes; 16% of all avoidable food waste).
The Food Standards Agency, Defra and WRAP are working to support industry, implementing more changes to help people waste less of the food they buy, through clearer date labelling and more effective storage and freezing advice. Updated industry guidance is expected to be published this year.
Asked by: Lord Blencathra (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they have any plans to consult on the abolition of, or fundamental change to, best before dates after the UK leaves the EU.
Answered by Lord Gardiner of Kimble
We wish to improve consumers’ understanding of the difference between ‘Best Before’ and ‘Use By’ dates as this issue has been identified as a potential source of food waste. The Government’s adviser on food waste, WRAP, has done a lot of work on this issue and improvements have resulted from that work. Consumers need to have the information to help them make the right decisions about the food they buy therefore we have no plans to abolish or make fundamental changes to durability indications.
Asked by: Lord Blencathra (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they plan to (1) require the packaging for wet wipes containing plastic fibres to display a warning that the wipes must not be flushed down toilets, (2) carry out a public awareness campaign regarding the dangers wet wipes with plastic particles pose to the environment, wildlife and public health, and (3) list publicly all the brands which use plastic particles in their wet wipes.
Answered by Lord Gardiner of Kimble
There is currently no plan to consult on banning wet wipes containing plastic fibres, except where those fabrics also contain microbeads.
On 3 September, the Secretary of State announced plans to ban the sale and manufacture of cosmetics and personal care products containing microbeads which may cause harm to the marine environment. The Government’s plans will be informed by a formal consultation later this year. At the same time, evidence will be gathered on the extent of the environmental impacts of microbeads found in other products, such as domestic and industrial cleaning products, before considering what more can be done in future to tackle other plastics, including microfibres, which enter the marine environment.
It is important that people receive the information they need to dispose of the personal and cleaning products they buy in the most appropriate way to minimise their impact on the environment. The Minister for the Environment and Rural Life Opportunities has written to leading manufacturers and retailers of wet wipes and other products that should not be flushed into the sewer system, to encourage them to work closely with the water and sewerage companies on this issue, as well as on the information provided to customers on product packaging. While the packaging of some such products makes clear that they should not be flushed into the sewer system, others do not.
The Minister for the Environment and Rural Life Opportunities plans to meet with leading manufacturers, retailers and water companies to discuss the matter further.