Government release Environment Improvement Plan

The government have released an Environment Improvement Plan which is a refreshment of the 25 Year Environment Plan which came out in 2018. It uses the same original 10 goals and looks at progress against these and how they will be delivered going forward.

Included is some cross cutting themes which includes:

• Green jobs and skills – collection and packaging reforms will support 21,000 jobs
• Green choices – making green choices easier and more affordable so they become the default option
• There is an Outcome Indicator Framework with 66 indicators to look at the environmental change linked to the ten goals.

Below is a brief overview of the 3 most relevant goals for the plastics industry:

• Goal 4 – Managing exposure to chemicals and pesticides

The key delivery points as part of this are:

To publish a new Chemical Strategy in 2023 including approaches on polyfluorinated substances (PFAS) and Endocrine disrupting chemicals (EDCs)

Continue to use REACH to evaluate and manage the risk posed by chemicals

Improve our understanding of chemicals in the environment building on the prioritisation and early warning system to target the greatest risk.

There is also a target stated to ‘Substantially increase the amount of POPs material being destroyed or irreversibly transformed by 2030..’. They commented on working with industry to register and remove all equipment containing polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) by 2025. They will also support partners to work on POPs in carpet and automotive waste. Furthermore, there will be a programme to look at POPs level in construction and demolition waste.

• Goal 5 – Maximise our resource, minimise our waste

The report cites many of the actions which have already taken place within this area such as publishing the Resource and Waste Strategy, publishing the net zero strategy and introducing the plastic packaging tax.

It reiterates the targets from the Environment Plan such as eliminating avoidable plastic waste by 2042. There are further targets for eliminating waste crime by 2042 and halving residual waste produced per person by the same date. There are interim residual waste targets for 2028 such as reducing the residual waste produced per person by 24%.

Achievement of the targets is based on many of the legislative changes that are already in development: consistent collections, deposit return schemes, banning single use plastic items (like plates and cutlery) and having mandatory digital waste tracking.

Other relevant targets are to significantly reduce and where possible prevent all kinds of marine plastic pollution which is especially in reference to material which has come from land and to substantially reduce litter and littering behaviour.

They will also be continuing to support RecycleNow to help people to take the right action and making it easier to recycle electrical items. There will be a call for evidence on wet wipes, cigarette filters and sachets and a separate one on the near eliminated of biodegradable waste from landfill.

Defra will publish a new maximising resources and minimising waste programme in England which includes construction, electronics, plastic packaging an single use items. It will look at waste exports, mentioning a ban on export of plastic waste to non-OECD countries. From 1st January 2025 WEEE will only be able to be exported if the destination country agrees.

• Goal 7 - Mitigating and adapting to climate change

This goal cites the Net Zero Strategy and the UK holding the presidency for COP 26. There will be an update in 2023 on the progress and plans to reach net zero.  It also mentions producing a UK Climate Change  Risk Assessment to identify risk and a National Adaptation Programme to address those risk every 5 years.

The other goals in the plan are:

Goal 1 – Thriving plants and wildlife

Goal 2 – Clean Air

Goal 3 – Clean and plentiful waste

Goal 6 – Using resources from nature sustainably

Goal 8 – Reduced risk of harm from environmental hazards

Goal 9 – Enhancing biosecurity

Goal 10 – Enhancing beauty, heritage and engagement with the natural environment

The full report is available here – Environmental Improvement Plan 2023 - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)