7. Statement by the Minister for Environment: Extended Producer Responsibility

Part of the debate – in the Senedd at 6:23 pm on 8 May 2018.

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Photo of Julie Morgan Julie Morgan Labour 6:23, 8 May 2018

I welcome the Minister's statement. It's a very wide-ranging statement, I think, and covers many aspects, so I think it's very welcome. You spoke, at the end of your speech, about the enthusiasm from the public and how they are leading us. In my constituency, I recently attended the launch of a plastic-free Rhiwbina initiative, started by a constituent and supported by our MP, Anna McMorrin. This took place in Snails, a cafe in Rhiwbina, which is going plastic-free. Incidentally, there was a stall there that was selling bamboo toothbrushes. The constituent plans to go round to businesses in the village offering a plastic audit and advice on how to reduce single-use plastic items such as straws, stirrers, and generally spread the plastic-free message. We're hoping to extend this across the whole of the constituency, looking for community champions to come forward. So, I thought the Minister would be interested to hear of that public initiative that was taking place in Rhiwbina. 

Then, to move on to the deposit-return scheme and the single-use plastics tax, I support those initiatives. And I understand the reasons why it is acceptable to do it on a UK-wide level, that there may be some advantages in that. But I do think it's very important that we do retain the flexibility for any changes that we want to make to the legislation. And Mick Antoniw mentioned the fact that we did lead on the plastic bags initiative and England followed some time afterwards and, I think, took some time to get to—they are now reaching a similar scheme to us. So, although we've had headline things coming forward from the Government in Westminster, from Michael Gove, I don't think we should be inhibited in any way in doing any initiatives that we would want to do ourselves.

The other issue I wanted to raise—it's been raised a few times—is about the water fountains. I think it's great to make Wales a Refill nation. I personally feel it would be very good if we could re-introduce some public drinking water fountains. I did notice, actually, going to London recently, that they do seem to be re-introducing new fountains in the parks there, which I thought was interesting. But I just wondered if money from plastic taxes could possibly be used to invest in water fountain infrastructure across Wales, because it must be one way of reducing the use of plastic bottles.

Then, finally, I'm very glad that you're going to look at the big events that are taking place, because we're just coming to all the summer events now. So, that's a key place to concentrate on recycling.