Sea of change ‘needed to cut down on plastic’
A Government scheme to charge people a deposit when they buy drinks bottles and cans to cut our carbon footprint is long overdue, a Midlands green energy expert said this week.
Ron Fox, of Noreus, was commenting after the announcement by Environment Secretary Michael Gove last week that consumers would get their money back when they returned single-use glass and plastic bottles and steel and aluminium cans.
“This move, which aims to boost recycling and cut waste, is needed urgently after the government’s advisers reported last week that plastic in the oceans is projected to treble within seven years,” said Ron, of Noreus Ltd on University of Keele Science and Innovation Park.
Scientists in their Future of the Sea report found that more than 70 per cent of marine litter is plastic which can cause injury and death to a variety of marine organisms.
The amount of debris is expected to rise from 50 million tonnes in 2015 to more than 150 tonnes by 2025 of which Britain is responsible for 0.2 per cent.
It is also a threat to humans who could be at greater risk of infections from bathing in the sea or eating shellfish which have consumed tiny pieces of plastic.
Although full details have yet to be decided it is expected that the deposit will be 10p to 20p on top of the price of the drink which could push, for example, some litre bottles of water up from about 85p to more than £1.
People would receive the refund through new “reverse vending machines”.
Already the Campaign to Protect Rural England said the deposit scheme could double recycling rates and would prevent Britain becoming the “dirty man of Europe”.
At present 40 countries worldwide have deposit schemes including Germany which recycles 98 per cent of cans and plastic bottles, Norway 96 per cent, The Netherlands 95 per cent, Lithuania 93 per cent, Finland 92 per cent while the UK reuses only 57 per cent of its 13 billion plastic bottles.
Although environmental campaigners have welcomed the move the British Plastics Federation said it could cost £1bn to set up and another £1bn in running costs.
The Environment Secretary said the UK had already banned harmful microbeads, cut plastic bag use by 83 per cent and now needed to help clean up the oceans.
But Ron Fox said more needed to be done and there needed to be a sea of change in attitudes and behaviour by businesses, retailers and householders.
He said businesses needed to use more reusable containers and cut back on plastic straws while retailers must stop using disposable plastic, particularly in their own brands.
“But householders could play an important role,” he added, “by switching to green energy as well as insulating and draught-proofing their home which can also cut bills by up to 45 per cent and reduce their carbon fuels needed for heating.”
For more advice on green energy matters contact Ron on 01782 756995 or go to www.noreus.co.uk
