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

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if she will review plastic waste exports to promote domestic recycling.

We are committed to ensuring a level playing field for domestic plastic recyclers and we are currently considering the role of exports in dealing with the UK’s plastic waste.

Defra is committed to building a circular economy that enhances industry competition and capitalises on the UK’s potential in plastic recycling and reprocessing, whilst realising our environmental objectives. We recognise that export markets can compliment domestic reprocessing to ensure more of our waste is recycled.