Sustainability: ban on single-use plastics and stronger biodiversity regulations proposed by Government

News

The Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs (Defra) is running two public consultations on proposals to take forward steps outlined in the Government’s 25 Year Environment Plan.

As part of its ambition to eliminate avoidable plastic waste by 2042, Defra has published plans to ban commonly littered single-use plastic items which are not already covered by existing policies. The proposed ban would apply to plastic plates (plus bowls and trays), cutlery and balloon sticks, and expanded and extruded polystyrene drinks containers - which together total more than 20 billion items used annually - from April 2023 in England (the Devolved Administrations are also considering bringing forward similar regulations).

The Government is considering excluding plastic items used as packaging from this ban, (except those used in ‘eat-in’ settings) as these are incorporated in reforms to the UK packaging producer responsibility system and a new tax on plastic packaging, which are due to come into force in April 2022. It is also seeking views on the potential costs or constraints to business and the impact on consumers resulting from a ban. This consultation closes on 12 February 2022.

Meanwhile, Defra has also set out proposals to mandate biodiversity net gains for built environment developments aimed at securing measurably better habitats for wildlife and creating better places for local communities.

Through provisions in the forthcoming Environment Act, the Government plans to establish a consistent set of requirements (to be brought in from late 2023) covering the ongoing management, monitoring, reporting and enforcement of biodiversity net gains for developments for a minimum period of 30 years. Government is also considering how to make this monitoring information publicly accessible with a transparent biodiversity gain register. This consultation closes on 5 April 2022.

If you would like further information on either of these two government consultations, please email: [email protected]