Theresa May is extending the 5p plastic bag charge to all small shops in the hope of ending Britain’s ‘profligate’ waste of natural resources and ‘throwaway culture’.
The Prime Minister told Cabinet ministers that a new 25-year environment strategy to be unveiled tomorrow would ‘send a strong message to the public about the Government’s commitment to be the first generation to leave the natural environment in a better state than we inherited’.
Corner shops and other retailers with fewer than 250 employees are currently exempted from the charge in England, but May and her Environment Secretary Michael Gove will set out plans for the levy to cover almost all plastic bags.
Yesterday Mr Gove showed he was ready to practice what he preached, by turning up for the meeting clutching a reusable coffee mug.
Theresa May (pictured this week) is extending the 5p plastic bag charge to all small shops in the hope of ending Britain’s ‘profligate’ waste of natural resources and ‘throwaway culture’
Mrs May, who hinted at new taxes on single-use plastic at the weekend, added: ‘The Government has a clear belief in conserving what is good and standing against the profligate use of resources whether that be public money or natural resources.’
Government sources were tight-lipped about the precise plans, but a deposit scheme for plastic bottles and new taxes on throwaway plastics, such as disposable coffee cups, are both under consideration.
The plan will be unveiled on Thursday and Whitehall sources confirmed that a consultation on extending the plastic bag charge will form part of it in the coming weeks.
Mr Gove will give a presentation on the strategy tomorrow, highlighting the impact of the plastic bag tax campaigned for by the Daily Mail.
The Prime Minister told Cabinet ministers that a new 25-year environment strategy to be unveiled tomorrow would ‘send a strong message to the public about the Government’s commitment to be the first generation to leave the natural environment in a better state than we inherited’
Pictured: Millions of pieces of plastic have washed up on the beaches of the UK after Storm Eleanor. At Penhale Sands Beach in Cornwall there is litter everywhere
The usual suspects: Plastic washed up by Storm Eleanor is pictured lined up on Pembrokeshire beach in Wales
He said: ‘The 5p plastic bag showed what can be achieved through targeted action.
‘There’s been a nearly 90 per cent reduction in bags. The Government is determined to tackle the throwaway culture which plastics encapsulate.’
He also confirmed that he is working with International Development Secretary Penny Mordaunt on using the £13 billion foreign aid budget to tackle the tide of plastic poisoning the world’s oceans.
The move came after Storm Eleanor left behind a shocking tide of plastic waste on some of Britain’s finest beaches.
MICHAEL GOVE’S CUP GOES GREEN
Michael Gove shows he’s trying to put the lid on plastic waste as he strolls into Downing Street with a reusable cup.
The Environment Secretary, urged to tackle the 2.5 billion disposable coffee cups the UK bins a year, matched the colour to his green tie.
Beachcombers were horrified by the scale of plastic rubbish on the coast.
A clampdown would represent a huge victory for the Mail’s campaign to Turn the Tide on Plastic.
The issue was also highlighted in David Attenborough’s Blue Planet II series at the end of last year.
Last week, the Commons environmental audit committee called for a 25p ‘latte levy’ on throwaway coffee cups – and a total ban if they are not made recyclable within five years.
The move is part of a wider Conservative drive to rebuild its reputation with younger voters by highlighting its green credentials.
Ministers have already unveiled plans to crack down on the ivory trade and increase sentences for animal abusers.
In recent days, Mrs May has also announced funding to plant 50 million trees to create a new ‘northern forest’ stretching from Liverpool to Hull.
The initial focus of any new tax is likely to be on single-use plastic products which cannot be recycled, such as polystyrene packaging, disposable coffee cups and bubble wrap. But it could also include items such as plastic bottles, which can be recycled but are often binned.
It comes as the Environment Department considers whether to introduce a deposit scheme for plastic bottles.
Society’s addiction to throwaway plastic is a growing menace to the environment. An estimated 12 million tons of plastic is dumped in the oceans each year.
More than one million birds and 100,000 turtles, whales and dolphins die from eating or getting tangled in plastic waste.
There are also concerns about the potential impact on food chains.
Environmental groups have welcomed indications that the Government could introduce a tax but have urged ministers to act swiftly and decisively.
Corner shops and other retailers with fewer than 250 employees are currently exempted from the charge in England, but May and her Environment Secretary Michael Gove will set out plans for the levy to cover almost all plastic bags