Written question asked by Lord Taylor of Warwick (Non-affiliated) on Tuesday, 29 October 2019, in the House of Lords. It was due for an answer on Tuesday, 12 November 2019. It was answered by Lord Gardiner of Kimble (Conservative) on Tuesday, 5 November 2019 on behalf of the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs.

Plastics: Fees and Charges

Question: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the environmental impact of introducing a 5p charge for plastic clothes hangers.

Answer: The Government recognises the importance of tackling plastic pollution and addressing the sustainability of the fashion industry, and our Resources and Waste Strategy sets out how we will do this. The Government has not made an assessment of the environmental impact of introducing a 5p charge for plastic clothes hangers, however our reforms set out in the Strategy will help address the issues that they pose. When sold in conjunction with clothing, plastic clothes hangers are classified as packaging items, meaning that they are subject to the current producer responsibility system for packaging waste. This requires obligated businesses to acquire evidence to demonstrate that tonnages equivalent to their individual targets have been recovered and recycled each year. Earlier this year the Government consulted on proposals to reform the current packaging producer responsibility system and intends to bring forward its final proposals for consultation in 2020.

Secondary information