Futures Forum: "Bring back bottle deposits to stop plastic pollution in our oceans" >>> Surfers Against Sewage to deliver petition to Parliament tomorrow
What is the government going to do about the regulation of plastic bottles?
Futures Forum: Plastic pollution > Let's keep up the pressure > 58% of all plastic bottles found on British beaches and rivers were 750ml or larger and would be left out of the bottle recycling scheme if a size limit is added
It seems that the manufacturers are also keeping up the pressure - and the Surfers Against Sewage group is asking supporters to contact the Environment Secretary:
STOP INDUSTRY WATERING DOWN NEW RECYCLING SYSTEM
Today we found out that the government is considering an option to limit a new plastic bottle drinks recycling scheme after pressure from industry.
If successful the move could exclude billions of plastic bottles currently found on UK beaches.
In the face of this pressure the Secretary of State for the Environment Michael Gove MP must do the right thing for our seas and marine life and put in place a simple ‘all-in’ drinks bottle recycling system without further delay.
We know that Michael Gove uses Twitter so we are asking the SAS community to share our message with him. You can RT our tweet here or use this wording:
.@michaelgove We’re All-In for a #DepositReturnScheme that works for our ocean! Please include all sizes of bottles & cans to save our seas! #SurfersAgainstSewage #PlasticFreeCoastlines @DefraGovUK https://bit.ly/2V4CXVI
If you do not use twitter then please help by sharing our news article on facebook or via email with family and friends. Click Here for the article.
Our amazing SAS volunteers measured 27,696 single-use drinks containers from 500 beaches and rivers in clean-ups in October. Of the bottles, 58 per cent were larger in size and would be excluded if the drinks industry succeeds in convincing the government to limit the new deposit scheme. We can not let this happen.
A new ‘all-in’ Deposit Return Scheme would be a huge victory for SAS campaigners after 329,000 people signed the petition we delivered to 10 Downing Street, so it is vital we do not let the scheme get watered-down at this late stage in the process.
Click Here to share our message on twitter today.
Thank you for your support
Ben
You can read more about the recycling consultation here
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With further news on their campaigns:
Small businesses urged to back fight against limit on plastic bottle deposit return scheme • Surfers Against Sewage
Surfers Against Sewage warns new recycling scheme could fail to capture billions of plastic bottles if industry succeeds in watering down the Deposit Return Scheme
18 February 2019
18 February 2019
A consultation launched today on a new drink bottle Deposit Return Scheme shows the Government is considering the option of limiting the scheme to small bottles despite evidence that this would exclude millions of plastic bottles.
Surfers Against Sewage (SAS) volunteers collected 27,696 single-use drinks containers from 500 beaches and rivers in clean-ups in October. Of the bottles, 58 per cent were 750ml or larger and would be excluded if the drinks industry succeeds in convincing the government to limit the new deposit scheme.
Despite the evidence found on UK beaches the British Retail Consortium has called for limits on the size of plastic bottles included in the scheme.
Surfers Against Sewage’s petition ‘Bring Back Bottle Deposits to Stop Plastic Pollution in Our Oceans’, supported by 329,000 citizens and delivered to 10 Downing Street, called for a comprehensive and inclusive system to be introduced on plastic beverage bottles and cans.
The charity is urging the government to reduce the amount of pointless plastic being manufactured, sold and used, as the first step to slowing the plastic pollution crisis; and to bring forward its ambitions and deliver an ‘all-in’ deposit return scheme sooner than the 2023 set out in the Resources & Waste Strategy.
A consultation launched today on a new drink bottle Deposit Return Scheme shows the Government is considering limiting the scheme to smaller plastic bottles despite evidence that this would exclude millions of larger ones found on UK beaches.
Surfers Against Sewage warns new recycling scheme could fail to capture billions of plastic bottles if industry succeeds in watering down the Deposit Return Scheme • Surfers Against Sewage
The 38 Degrees campaign is also pushing for action - and also asking for donations for its campaigning work:
Swallowing plastic
This is shocking. Scientists have found plastic in the digestive systems of every dolphin, seal and whale included in a study of British waters. [1] It proves the dangers plastic poses to our precious wildlife. And the government isn’t doing enough to stop the plastic crisis. [2] Right now government ministers are drafting plans for our environment after Brexit. [3] But experts are sounding the alarm because their plans won’t do enough to turn the tide on plastic pollution for good. [4] That’s where we come in. Together we can hold the government to account - and force them to take urgent action. We’ll need expert advice to seize every opportunity that comes our way, a dedicated staff team, and every tactic at our fingertips to make our voices heard. And none of this comes cheap.
Alone we would never have the power to stop our seas from choking in
plastic, but together we’re powerful. After hundreds of thousands of 38
Degrees members got involved, together we won huge campaigns to stop
plastic pollution - from crisp packets to cotton buds. [5]
But if we’re going to stamp out plastic pollution once and for all, we need to make sure the issue is top of the governments agenda - and we’ll need money in the bank to make it happen.
PS: 38 Degrees is the angle at which a pile of snow becomes an avalanche.
When enough gathers in the right place, it becomes an unstoppable force. 38
Degrees campaigns are inspired by this idea, giving individuals a chance to
join an avalanche of people working together for a better world.
NOTES: [1] The Evening Standard: UK ocean plastic pollution crisis: Every seal, dolphin and whale washed up on British shores had plastic in their stomachs, report says: https://www.standard.co.uk/futurelondon/theplasticfreeproject/plastic-pollution-single-use-plastic-a4053361.html (Paywall) The Telegraph: 100% polluted: plastic found in all British whales, dolphins and seals: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2019/01/31/100-polluted-plastic-found-british-whales-dolphins-seals/ [2] The Guardian: Animals and birds under increasing threat from plastic waste: https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2019/feb/04/animals-birds-plastic-waste-rspca The Express: Dozens of dead dolphins washed up on shore killed by plastic: https://www.express.co.uk/news/uk/1080169/dead-dolphins-washed-up-shore-killed-plastic-cornwall-uk BBC News: Theresa May defends 'long-term' plastic waste plan: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-42651480 [3] UK Government: Environment Bill: policy paper: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/draft-environment-principles-and-governance-bill-2018/environment-bill-policy-paper [4] The Evening Standard: Plastic in the ocean: Sustainable Seas Report warns plastic pollution 'could treble within 10 years': https://www.standard.co.uk/futurelondon/theplasticfreeproject/ocean-plastic-pollution-single-use-plastic-sustainable-seas-a4041236.html BBC News: Theresa May defends 'long-term' plastic waste plan: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-42651480 The Independent: Environmental groups criticise 'weak' government plan to enforce green laws after Brexit: https://www.independent.co.uk/environment/brexit-green-laws-watchdog-environmentalists-michael-gove-government-a8691856.html The Wildlife Trusts: Draft Environment Bill Published Today: https://www.wildlifetrusts.org/news/draft-environment-bill-published-today Business Green: Funding plans threaten independence of post-Brexit green watchdog, National Audit Office warns: https://www.businessgreen.com/bg/news/3069444/funding-plans-threaten-independence-of-post-brexit-green-watchdog-nao-warns [5] 38 Degrees: Walkers announce a new recycling scheme for crisp packets!: https://home.38degrees.org.uk/2018/10/05/walkers-announce-a-new-recycling-scheme-for-crisp-packets/ 38 Degrees: PG Tips: We won: https://home.38degrees.org.uk/2018/02/28/pg-tips-won/ 38 Degrees: Bottle deposits: We won: https://home.38degrees.org.uk/2018/03/28/bottle-deposits-we-won/ 38 Degrees: Cotton bud success: https://home.38degrees.org.uk/2017/01/10/cotton-bud-success/ |
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