Plastic Packaging

Part of 1. Questions to the Cabinet Secretary for Energy, Planning and Rural Affairs – in the Senedd at 1:35 pm on 17 January 2018.

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Photo of Hannah Blythyn Hannah Blythyn Labour 1:35, 17 January 2018

I think that's a really important question—really important points made—and you're right that the scourge of plastic use is really high in the public consciousness at the moment. It's important that we embrace that and take action alongside it.

In the Welsh Government, we're very keen to make sure that we are leading the way on this, that we are committed to tackling the use of plastic, and at the moment we have the Eunomia consultation, looking at extended producer responsibility, but it looks at a range, not just the things we've seen highlighted such as beverage cups, but all the different containers. Also, there is work to look at the pilot on the deposit return scheme, and actually, we have the legislation in place through the Environment (Wales) Act 2016—Part 4 of the environment Act—which enables us to take that further in terms of responsibility on businesses. We have the legislation there, and I think it's important, now, that we make sure that comes into action, but we are committed to doing that in a range of areas, and I'm sure I'll update this place in due course.