Findings from Local Government Association research into the amount of packaging supermarkets insist on wrapping goods in has prompted comments from Mike Warhurst, Friends of the Earth’s Senior Waste Campaigner.
Current Government targets allow more than two thirds of plastic waste to be added to the tonnes of rubbish finding its way to landfill every week. Mike Warhurst argues that these targets should be tightened up to make supermarkets use more recyclable materials in the packaging of their goods as well as promoting more responsible food waste disposal.
Many homeowners are already in the habit of separating their waste for kerbside collection, and would no doubt welcome waste plastic recycling. The current system means greater expense being passed on to tax payers, and a greater strain being placed upon existing landfill sites and incinerators.
Although supermarkets have done their best to defend their actions by telling the media about the reductions that have been made, the figures show that even the supermarket with the highest proportion of recyclable material still has another 33% of non-recyclable plastic to account for.
Chairperson for the LGA, Margaret Eaton has proposed, “If retailers create unnecessary rubbish, they should help taxpayers by paying for it to be recycled.” To read more, visit the BBC website.
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- Britain’s Supermarkets Get Packing
- 48% Reduction In Carrier Bag Usage; 2% Short Of Target
- New Zealand Supermarkets Introduce Tax to Curb Carrier Bag Use
Tags: landfill, packaging, recycling, supermarkets