Labour environment minister Mary Creagh has sparked a backlash from environmental groups after confirming that glass will not be included in the Deposit Return Scheme (DRS) across parts of the UK.
In a written parliamentary answer to Liberal Democrat MP Sarah Dyke yesterday, the minister noted that, once enacted, the planned DRS in England and Northern Ireland would only include PET plastic, steel and aluminium drink containers.
‘Glass will not be in [the] scope of the scheme,’ Creagh noted.
Overwhelming Public Support
This decision is in keeping with the previous Conservative government’s position of excluding glass from England and Northern Ireland’s DRS.
However, new data from Nature 2030 and Keep Wales Tidy has revealed overwhelming public support (74%) for introducing a comprehensive DRS, which includes plastic, glass and aluminium containers.
Environmental campaigners, along with some MPs, said that the exclusion risks weakening the UK’s environmental protections and are out of step with proposals from the Welsh and Scottish governments, which support the inclusion of glass.
Change Tack
Dominic Dyer, the chair of Nature 2030, said, “There is strong public demand for Labour to U-turn on this absurd Conservative position of excluding glass from England and Northern Ireland’s deposit return scheme – and there is still time for the government to change tack as part of the ‘rapid review’ they are undertaking of the previous administration’s whole environmental improvement plan.
“There is not much point in that review if ministers stick to ‘business as usual’, which, for too long, has lacked ambition and given in to special interests, rather than putting the planet first.”
The scheme, which was initially earmarked for a 2027 roll-out, is expected to be brought forward, although no new date has been decided.
DRS In Europe
Scotland and Wales will also be included in the DRS, although some retail groups have voiced their concerns in recent years.
The schemes already operate in several European countries, including Ireland, which has had it in place since February of this year.
There are 56 deposit return schemes around the world, and 49 include glass, while those without glass have a separate returnable system for it in place.
Welsh Blueprint
Owen Derbyshire, chief executive of Keep Wales Tidy, said, “Creating an ambitious and glass-inclusive deposit return scheme is vital for protecting both people and the planet.
“The Welsh government’s proposals, which include glass, offer a ready-to-go blueprint for the rest of the UK, enabling us to meet the clear calls from the public to ensure we have maximum-possible protections for the environment.
“Ministers should carefully consider how they will ensure adequate levels of protection are achieved in the absence of a wide-ranging deposit return scheme, like we see across much of Europe.”
