Our joint manifesto with Keep Wales Tidy
30 May 2024
Working with our friends at Keep Wales Tidy we’ve today published our joint asks of the next UK Government. Together we’ve identified five areas where the government can act at UK level to make a huge leap forward to realise our net zero ambition while making significant improvements to our environment.
Our key ask is to see the implementation of the Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) Scheme for packaging, including the originally proposed system for ground litter payments committed to across the UK. It is essential that the UK Government stay aligned with devolved nations, Scotland and Wales, in its commitments to EPR, extending the scope of the regulations to cover ground litter and ensuring that the polluter pays principle is followed. We believe that litter payments must form a key component of the UK Government’s EPR reforms, which would ensure that single-use packaging producers take financial responsibility for the packaging that they put on the market.
Secondly, we need a consistent UK-wide all-in Deposit Return Scheme (DRS) for drinks containers no later than 2027. The UK Government must act swiftly to ensure that a DRS is put in place across the entirety of the UK, and that it covers all drinks containers, including glass. The implementation of such scheme will ensure that we extract less raw materials and will promote the move to a circular economy.
In addition, stronger leadership is required from the UK Government to take decisive action and create bold climate targets towards net zero, we see this as a priority. Achieving net zero by 2050 should be viewed as minimum and more ambitious targets, exceeding international commitments, should be set.
In line with the UN Greening Education Partnership commitments, we want to see the implementation of the Eco-Schools programme in all UK schools. This will require leadership and collaboration with devolved nations to ensure that climate education in schools is embedded as a priority so that our young people feel equipped to adapt to and mitigate climate change.
Finally, we ask that the Internal Markets Acts is interpreted and implemented in a way that does not create barriers to progress on environmental policy and regulation across the UK. We believe the Act needs to be reviewed in order to clarify and promote current constitutional agreements in the devolved nations as well as establishing additional criteria around social and environmental factors to support ambitious policies.
Barry Fisher, our CEO said, “With a UK election now less than six weeks away, we believe that if any issue should attract cross party support, prioritisation, and engagement - surely it should be our environment. As we collectively work towards Net Zero and take clear definitive action we know that we will see benefits for people, communities, businesses and nature. Environmental policy should not be a bolt on or a political divider. It should unite us. We are committed to working with the next UK government to ensure our ambitions are realised.”
Owen Derbyshire, CEO of Keep Wales Tidy said "We believe that now is the time for bold and transformative action. Our environment, our communities, and our future generations depend on the decisions made today, and we cannot afford further delay. We look forward to collaborating with both the next UK Government and with Welsh Government to turn these aspirations into reality."
