Bottle and can deposit return scheme gets green light in England
New post
Bottle and can deposit return scheme gets green light in England
Image:Bottle deposits range from 8p to 22p in Europe
By Sanya Burgess, News Reporter
A deposit return scheme for single-use bottles is going to be introduced in England subject to consultation, the Government has confirmed.
Plastic, glass and metal containers would be included in the scheme with a goal of increasing recycling rates and slashing the amount of waste polluting the planet.
A consultation held later this year will examine the details of how such a scheme would work, but it is likely to be in place by the end of this Parliament.
"We can be in no doubt that plastic is wreaking havoc on our marine environment - killing dolphins, choking turtles and degrading our most precious habitats," the Environment Secretary Michael Gove said.
"It is absolutely vital we act now to tackle this threat and curb the millions of plastic bottles a day that go unrecycled," he added.
Image:Sky Ocean Rescue campaign was launched after a whale died from eating plastic
The Government says it hopes "to talk to the devolved administrations about the scope for working together on this important issue".
Similar deposit return schemes already operate in countries such as Denmark, Sweden and Germany.
A deposit return scheme sees consumers pay an upfront deposit when they buy a drink, ranging from 8p in Sweden to 22p in Germany, which is redeemed on the return of the empty drink container.
Other types of schemes being considered by the UK include cash rewards for returning drinks containers without enforcing an upfront deposit.
This could be done through a network of 'reverse vending machines' where money is returned whenever a plastic or glass bottle is inserted.
Once a bottle is returned, businesses are then responsible for making sure they are effectively recycled - a move that has led to a 97% recycling rate in Germany.
Image:Huge numbers of plastic bottles wash up along British shores, including the Thames
Although the Environment Secretary's announcement was widely welcomed, some are concerned the move is a token effort.
Elena Polisano, oceans campaigner at Greenpeace UK, said: "Michael Gove has a golden opportunity to introduce an effective deposit return system to help reduce the amount of plastic ending up in our environment. But for (the scheme) to work well, it can't be a token effort. It must include all plastic bottles, glass bottles and drinks cans, and be rolled out in shops all across the UK."
The announcement follows the Government's ban on plastic microbeads and the introduction of a 5p plastic bag charge.
Video:Voyage reveals plastic problem in UK waters
The bag fee has led to nine billion fewer bags being distributed in the UK.
Coconut-Dill Salmon With Green Beans and Corn Time : 40 minutes A fillet of salmon is foil-wrapped and placed on a hot grill to steam in its own juices after being bathed in a fragrant mixture of coconut cream, lemon, and dill. The fish is served with a light salad of fresh corn, tomatoes, green beans, and a sprinkling of feathery dill. The outcome, either warm or cold, is an excellent low-lift dish for a large gathering or a supper that can be prepared ahead of time. INGREDIENTS Yield : 6 to 8 servings 1(2-pound) salmon fillet (skin on or off) 2tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon olive oil Coarse kosher salt (such as Morton) and black pepper 1cup unsweetened coconut cream or coconut milk 2tablespoons dark brown sugar 1tablespoon sherry vinegar 1teaspoon Dijon mustard 1lemon 1cup chopped fresh dill 8ounces green beans, trimmed and halved crosswise 1cup fresh corn kernels (from 1 to 2 ears corn) 1pint cherry tomatoes, lightly crushed open or sliced into halves PREPARATION Step 1 Hea...
Falafel is generally a scrumptious vegetarian choice, and it makes a good fundamental filling for a pita sandwich. Throw in a few new veggies and tahini sauce and you have a feast. Falafel can be delighted in at room temperature or warmed prior to appreciating. RECIPES 1 tablespoon olive oil 6 pita bread loaves 18 cooked falafel balls, from homemade or store-bought falafel mix 2 medium tomatoes, diced 1 medium cucumber, unpeeled and diced 1 medium white or red onion, thinly sliced 1/4 cup finely chopped fresh parsley 3 sandwich pickles, sliced, optional Tahini sauce, homemade or store-bought, to taste. PREPARATION STEP 1 Gather the ingredients. STEP 2 Heat a large nonstick skillet or griddle to medium-high heat. Coat with olive oil and heat a pita round for 2 minutes on each side. The pita may begin to brown a little. Repeat with the remaining pita rounds, making sure to cut the top part to reveal the pocket after heating. STEP 3 Stuff each pita round wi...
Pregnant Khloé ‘went Ballistic’ When She Found Out About Tristan’s Cheating EXCLUSIVE: Khloé Kardashian "went ballistic" when she found out her baby daddy Tristan Thompson was fooling around behind her back with an Instagram model! What might be the outcome??
US, South Korea set to revise bilateral missile treaty By Laura Smith-Spark , North Korea to US (CNN) South Korean President Moon Jae-in and President Donald Trump have agreed "in principle" to revise a bilateral treaty that limits the weight and range of the South's ballistic missiles. The move could give South Korea more independence from the United States to react to the threat from North Korea, analysts say. The two leaders spoke in a phone call Friday. "President Moon and President Trump reaffirmed their view that it is important to apply maximum sanctions and pressure on North Korea so that it refrains from making provocations and comes out to the dialogue table to peacefully resolve its nuclear issue," presidential spokesman Park Soo-hyun said in a written statement. According to the statement, the two also agreed "in principle on the revision of ...
Comments
Post a Comment
comments below