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

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps his Department is taking to reduce the amount of plastic waste exported from the UK.

We are developing reforms to the packaging producer responsibility scheme. We are looking at all aspects of the regime, including mechanisms to incentivise better design, encourage the use of recycled material and make better use of materials at the end of life. This could include making producers pay more if their products are not easily recyclable and them paying less if their products are made from recycled materials.

The proposed models for reform will embody principles of extended producer responsibility, including packaging producers funding the end of life costs of their packaging products, as well as the collection and disposal costs of packaging waste.

We want to create a vibrant market for recycled materials in the UK, including plastic. Our forthcoming Resources and Waste Strategy will set out how we will deliver these ambitions.