Britons Want Labour to Push Ahead with Recycling Pledges Amidst Delay Fears

SOME 73 percent of Britons want the new Labour government to press ahead with a deposit return scheme for all drinks containers including aluminium cans, glass bottles, and plastic bottles.

The poll was commissioned by Alupro.

The poll of 2,000 UK adults was conducted by Yonder between 30th August to 1st September 2024.

Some 65 percent of those polled said Whitehall should follow the example of the Welsh Government colleagues by setting binding recycling targets for local authorities.

More than 8-in-10 of those Britons who expressed an opinion in the poll said Labour should be bold in pushing through key environmental policies.

Some 82 percent of Britons said they wanted Labour to ‘right the wrongs’ of 14 years of Conservative Government.

Campaigners fear key environmental pledges will be delayed as the Labour Government prioritises fixing the public finances.

Deposit return schemes in all four nations of the UK have been subjected to multiple delays, and wrangling over the scope of materials included.

Currently glass is set to be excluded from schemes in England, Northern Ireland, and Scotland and included in Wales.

But today’s poll revealed Britons want an inter-operable scheme that includes all materials across the UK no later than 2027.

A DRS would place an additional charge on drink containers that can be recouped when they are returned to a collection point.

Experts say the deposit should be variable depending on the container size to mitigate the risk of people reaching for larger plastic bottles to avoid paying multiple deposits on smaller endlessly recyclable items such as aluminium cans in multipacks.

The poll has been published ahead of Labour Party Conference 2024 in Liverpool.

The conference will see experts debate how Labour can deliver a Real Circular Economy.

Tom Giddings, Alupro Executive Director, said: “The Great British public could not be clearer. They want Labour to get on and deliver for the environment.

“They do not want landmark environmental policy such as deposit return schemes to be delayed beyond 2027. Britons have waited long enough for Whitehall to do right by the environment.

“I look forward to discussing in Liverpool how Labour can deliver a real circular economy for this and future generations.”

Allison Ogden-Newton Chief Executive Officer, Keep Britain Tidy said: “We have long campaigned for a deposit return scheme including all materials.

“We have heard countless stories of people and pets being endangered by littered glass, as well as our volunteers who struggle with removing broken glass from the environment as it cuts through plastic waste bags.”