UK Government Doubles Plastic Bag Fee and Applies it to All Retailers

According to an August 31, 2020 UK Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs news release https://www.gov.uk/government/news/war-on-plastic-waste-stepped-up-with-extension-of-plastic-bag-charge “… The single-use carrier bag charge will be extended to all retailers and increased to 10p from April 2021 to further protect our oceans from plastic waste … The latest statistics show the current levy, which stands at 5p and applies to any retailer employing 250 or more people, has led to a 95 per cent cut in plastic bag sales in major supermarkets since 2015 … Today’s announcement … will … take us closer to our ambition to eliminate avoidable plastic waste through our 25 Year Environment Plan and build back greener after coronavirus … Other key government actions on plastics include … introducing a deposit return scheme to drive up the recycling of single-use drinks containers, and a ban on the supply of plastic straws, stirrers and cotton buds which will come into force in October. The government will also introduce a new … tax on plastic packaging which does not meet a minimum threshold of at least 30% recycled content from April 2022 …” #SingleUsePlastic @PlasticWaste #PlasticPackaging