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

To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the extent to which the amount of plastic waste being collected by local authorities is sufficient to prevent that waste degrading the environment; and which government agencies are (1) monitoring the current situation, and (2) planning for the future, in this regard.

The Environmental Protection Act 1990 requires local authorities to make provisions for the collection and disposal of household waste, including arrangements for the collection of plastics where appropriate.

The Government and the Environment Agency with support from the Waste and Resources Action Programme work with local authorities to monitor the effectiveness of these services and to promote comprehensive collection and recycling of waste, including plastics.

The Government wants to reduce the harm plastics pollution has on the environment and in 2018 will publish a resources and waste strategy which will set out actions in this area, including how we will work towards zero avoidable waste by 2050.