Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:

To ask His Majesty's Government whether they have considered placing a statutory duty to maintain an adequate level of bin provision on the Canal and Rivers Trust.

Answered by Baroness Hayman of Ullock - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)

We have not made an assessment of the adequacy of bin provision beside waterways in urban areas.

Under section 89 of the Environmental Protection Act 1990, The Canal and River Trust has a duty to keep the land they are responsible for clear of litter and refuse. It would be for them to work out how they can best comply with the duty, considering the standards set out in statutory Code of Practice on Litter and Refuse.

An adequate cleansing regime alongside the provision of public litter bins can help to maintain acceptable standards of cleanliness on land managed by a duty body. WRAP have previously provided guidance on the provision of litter bins which is available at https://www.wrap.ngo/resources/guide/binfrastructure-right-bin-right-place

The Canal and River Trust also has a responsibility to remove litter and fly-tipping in canals where it would interfere with navigation.

This Government is committed to reducing waste by transitioning to a circular economy. As part of this we remain focused on delivering the Collection and Packaging Reforms including the Deposit Return Scheme (DRS). The DRS will go live in October 2027. It will introduce a redeemable deposit on single-use in-scope drinks containers which can be claimed back by customers when the empty container is returned. This will reduce litter alongside canals, increase recycling rates, create high quality recyclate for producers, and promote a circular economy.

Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:

To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the adequacy of current bin provision beside waterways in urban areas.

Answered by Baroness Hayman of Ullock - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)

We have not made an assessment of the adequacy of bin provision beside waterways in urban areas.

Under section 89 of the Environmental Protection Act 1990, The Canal and River Trust has a duty to keep the land they are responsible for clear of litter and refuse. It would be for them to work out how they can best comply with the duty, considering the standards set out in statutory Code of Practice on Litter and Refuse.

An adequate cleansing regime alongside the provision of public litter bins can help to maintain acceptable standards of cleanliness on land managed by a duty body. WRAP have previously provided guidance on the provision of litter bins which is available at https://www.wrap.ngo/resources/guide/binfrastructure-right-bin-right-place

The Canal and River Trust also has a responsibility to remove litter and fly-tipping in canals where it would interfere with navigation.

This Government is committed to reducing waste by transitioning to a circular economy. As part of this we remain focused on delivering the Collection and Packaging Reforms including the Deposit Return Scheme (DRS). The DRS will go live in October 2027. It will introduce a redeemable deposit on single-use in-scope drinks containers which can be claimed back by customers when the empty container is returned. This will reduce litter alongside canals, increase recycling rates, create high quality recyclate for producers, and promote a circular economy.

Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:

To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to tackle litter in and beside waterways in urban areas.

Answered by Baroness Hayman of Ullock - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)

We have not made an assessment of the adequacy of bin provision beside waterways in urban areas.

Under section 89 of the Environmental Protection Act 1990, The Canal and River Trust has a duty to keep the land they are responsible for clear of litter and refuse. It would be for them to work out how they can best comply with the duty, considering the standards set out in statutory Code of Practice on Litter and Refuse.

An adequate cleansing regime alongside the provision of public litter bins can help to maintain acceptable standards of cleanliness on land managed by a duty body. WRAP have previously provided guidance on the provision of litter bins which is available at https://www.wrap.ngo/resources/guide/binfrastructure-right-bin-right-place

The Canal and River Trust also has a responsibility to remove litter and fly-tipping in canals where it would interfere with navigation.

This Government is committed to reducing waste by transitioning to a circular economy. As part of this we remain focused on delivering the Collection and Packaging Reforms including the Deposit Return Scheme (DRS). The DRS will go live in October 2027. It will introduce a redeemable deposit on single-use in-scope drinks containers which can be claimed back by customers when the empty container is returned. This will reduce litter alongside canals, increase recycling rates, create high quality recyclate for producers, and promote a circular economy.

Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:

To ask His Majesty's Government what percentage of funding they have provided to the Canal and Rivers Trust is intended to be used to keep urban waterways and towpaths clean.

Answered by Baroness Hayman of Ullock - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)

The current grant agreement between Defra and the Canal and River Trust provides for the grant to be used in pursuit of the charitable objects of the Trust, including a range of permitted activities set out in the agreement. The activities include litter management. The agreement, however, does not stipulate what proportion of the grant should be spent on any of the activities, which is for the Trust to decide on the basis of need at any given time.

Found: LORD CARRINGTON THE EARL OF LEICESTER LORD ROBOROUGH 50_ Schedule 1, page 173, line 32, after “landlords