BPF Response to London Assembly on Bottled Water Report

The London Assembly Environment Committee released a report on bottled water in April 2017. The report called for the Mayor to address plastic water bottle consumption in his upcoming Environment Strategy. They call on the Mayor to look into the feasibility of a Deposit Return Scheme in London as a trial for a nationwide scheme. They also ask the Mayor to encourage:

• community refill schemes
• improving access to tap water across the TfL network
• ending the sale of plastic bottled water on GLA premises
• engaging with Business Improvement Districts to trial measures in specific areas of London
• promoting apps to help consumers locate free tap water
• convening stakeholders through the Plastics Industry Recycling Action Plan

The BPF Plastics and Flexible Packaging Group has responded to the Environment Committee to express concerns and highlight potential solutions. We noted  that the focus should be on preventing all litter, not singling out plastic bottles a highly recyclable, hygienic, lightweight, resalable and resource efficient option. We expressed concerns on whether a DRS would be appropriate for London, given the nature of the city, the busy lifestyle and the significant population of visitors and commuters. We raised concerns about the effect a DRS would have on the recycling of other packaging - as other countries have experienced drops following a DRS. It is disappointing that the Committee has not focused creating a plan for the GLA Group for the responsible use of all resources, instead of arbitrarily singling out products which offer benefits to society and the environment - such as green house gas emission reductions. We highlighted several examples of successful behaviour change interventions that could be used as alternative solutions to reduce litter and improve recycling. We reiterated our offer to meet with the London Assembly, the Mayor and the London Waste and Recycling Board as necessary - either individually, or through the BPF and PlasticsEurope's Plastics Recycling Action Plan (PIRAP).

Image credit: ricardo / zone41.net