MP joins the fight against plastic

Sefton Central MP Bill Esterson has called on the Government to get tough on plastic producers after shocking images emerged of the Earth's oceans becoming 'seas of plastic'.

The MP is backing a new law that would pass the cost of plastic recycling onto manufacturers and would ban non-recyclable plastic after 2025.

Mr Esterson, who was among dozens of MPs to support the new Plastics Bill presented by Geraint Davies MP in Parliament, said: "Over the past year we've seen shocking images from the Blue Planet series, plus reports from the Caribbean and Bali, of the amount of plastic waste in our oceans.

"That plastic comes from us. It’s a crucial time to get serious about cutting out plastic in our communities and reducing its production and use."

The Plastics Bill would ensure that plastic producers, instead of council tax payers, paid for the cost of recycling plastic.

Mr Esterson continued: “Locally we need to set an example by reducing our own plastic consumption in schools, at work and in the council and I’ll be encouraging schools here to sign up to the 'Plastic Free Schools' initiative, as well as speaking up in Parliament.

"Currently 90 per cent of the cost of plastic recycling is paid by council taxpayers. I’m supporting the Plastics Bill so the producer pays instead. This will encourage producers to innovate and reduce plastic pollution.”

Geraint Davies, Swansea West MP, who has presented the Plastics Bill, said: “More than 200 schools across the UK have already signed up to the Plastic Free Schools programme run by Surfers Against Sewage.

“MPs from all parties across the UK support the Plastics Bill. We now know from the UN that as things stand there will be more plastic than fish in our oceans by 2050. I also know, living in Swansea, how important it is to protect our beautiful coastlines.

“Unless we agree the Plastics Bill, we risk falling behind Europe where all plastic will be recyclable by 2030. Instead, the Bill would give the UK global leadership to help save our marine environment and ecosystems by requiring that all plastics in UK are recyclable by 2025 instead of 2042 as currently proposed by the UK government.”