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

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what plans his Department has to reduce the use of disposable plastic bottles.

Our Resources and Waste Strategy, published 18 December 2018, sets out how we will eliminate all avoidable plastic waste.

The Government is currently consulting on proposals to introduce a Deposit Return Scheme (DRS) for drinks containers in England, Wales and Northern Ireland. The aims of a DRS are to reduce the amount of littering in England, Wales and Northern Ireland, boost recycling levels for relevant material, and promote recycling through clear labelling and consumer messaging. HDPE and PTE plastic bottles are included in the proposals.

National Refill Day was launched in September 2018 to raise awareness for reusable plastic bottles and encourage the public to reduce plastic waste. We will continue to support initiatives from business and civil society where doing so drives further improvement and explore other avenues for progress in consultation with stakeholders.