Bath MP Wera Hobhouse has backed efforts to introduce a deposit return scheme for plastic drinks containers, to encourage greater recycling of single-use bottles and cans.
During a debate in the House of Commons on 21st January, the Liberal Democrat MP welcomed the government’s initiative as a “positive step” towards a more sustainable future.
Around 31 billion single-use drink containers are bought each year in the UK. However, a significant amount of bottles and cans are not recycled, meaning they end up in landfill.
The government has said it will launch a scheme to encourage greater recycling in October 2027 by offering a financial incentive to individuals who return empty containers to collection points, such as at local supermarkets.
While Wera Hobhouse, who was acting as the Liberal Democrat’s Environment spokesperson during the debate, said she largely embraced the scheme, she did raise concerns with its implementation.
Mrs Hobhouse said that the Environment Agency would struggle to meet its regulatory obligations and would need additional funding to ensure that the scheme was being carried out effectively.
In response, the Circular Economy Minister Mary Creagh said that the Debt Management Office would oversee the Environment Agency’s regulatory costs and ensure funding was “proportionate”.
The Bath MP also urged the government to make sure the scheme was convenient for consumers and to ensure local businesses were supported to introduce collection points.
She went on to encourage the government to be more ambitious and introduce a deposit return scheme for food and drink bottles and containers, as the Liberal Democrats had proposed in their 2024 manifesto.
The MP said: “Introducing a deposit return scheme is a win-win-win. It will help us create a greener economy and reduce waste, all while putting money back into people’s pockets.
“It’s clear we need to move away from the throwaway culture we have become used to. While the government’s scheme is a positive step in the right direction, I’d like to see them go further to extend the scheme to food containers.
“We must get this right by making the scheme as convenient as possible for people, like commuters or busy parents on the go, to recycle.
“This means supporting local businesses to set up easily accessible collection points in their shops.”
