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Environment Environment Youth Youth

Introduce a new levy to increase recyclable plastics in packaging

Last updated 3 years ago

...and will introduce a new levy to increase the proportion of recyclable plastics in packaging.

Conservative Party Manifesto 2019, p.43

Our verdict

  • This is a promise to bring in a new tax aimed at increasing the use of recyclable plastics in packaging. 
  • There has been action on a new tax regarding ‘recycled’ plastics in packaging, planned to take effect from April 2022 – the March 2020 Budget committed to it and launched a consultation, the Finance Act in July 2020 enabled spending on its introduction, and the Finance Bill containing the provision was introduced to Parliament on 10 March 2021. However, we found nothing on this promise, which focuses specifically on ‘recyclable’ plastics in packaging.
  • In July 2020, the EU agreed a new levy on “non-recycled plastic waste” which would meet the requirements of this pledge, and the UK has agreed not to reduce environmental standards relative to the EU, but as far as the UK government is concerned, this policy to introduce a new levy is ‘not started’. 

There's always room for debate

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