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

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps he is taking to help reduce (a) plastic pollution, (b) other litter and (c) fuel pollution in (i) rivers, (ii) streams and (iii) seas.

Cleaning up England’s rivers, lakes and seas is a top Government priority. That is why we are placing water companies under special measures through the Water (Special Measures) Act. The Act will drive meaningful improvements in the performance and culture of the water industry as a first important step in enabling wider, transformative change across the water sector.

Urban diffuse pollution including highways drainage accounts for 18% of water quality failures. Highways drainage may contain polluting substances from fuel, oil and tyre wear. The Environment Agency is supporting National Highways in their mitigation of high-risk outfalls and is working with them on joint incident response strategies to minimise risk from road traffic accidents.

The Environment Agency assesses every reported pollution incident and where serious or significant pollution is suspected Officers will attend to investigate and minimise pollution. It will also investigate any serious offending and takes appropriate action under its enforcement and sanctions policy. https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/environment-agency-enforcement-and-sanctions-policy/environment-agency-enforcement-and-sanctions-policy

The Government is also working domestically and internationally to implement measures that will prevent plastic and other litter from reaching the environment.

Furthermore, the Deposit Return Scheme (DRS) for drinks containers 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. DRS will reduce litter, increase recycling rates, create high quality recyclate for producers, and promote a circular economy.

Littering is a crime that blights communities and the environment. This Government is considering what further steps are needed to help local authorities reduce litter and thus prevent it from entering and damaging our waterways and ecosystems.

Marine litter and plastic pollution are transboundary problems, which is why the UK is calling for an ambitious international agreement to end plastic pollution by 2040 and working with our closest neighbours to implement the OSPAR Regional Action Plan for Marine Litter.