A new UK environmental bill will ban or restrict the exporting of plastic waste. Many first-world countries around the world have exported their plastic waste to underdeveloped countries for a long time.
China has long been a dumping ground for plastic pollution and “recycling” for many first-world countries. They no longer accept plastic imports since there are now mountains of plastic. Other countries like Malaysia are also sending back shipping containers of plastic waste to first-world countries.
Here’s a short video by The Story of Stuff about where recycled plastic ends up.
The new law will remove the UK from the current environmental protection as part of the European Union (EU). Included in the law of exporting plastic waste will be wildlife protection, along with water and air quality.
UK Environmental Secretary, Theresa Villiers commented:
We have set out our pitch to be a world leader on the environment as we leave the EU, and the environment bill is a crucial part of achieving this. It sets a gold standard for improving air quality, protecting nature, increasing recycling and cutting down on plastic waste.
The new Office of Environmental Protection (OEP) will not have the power to fine the government, and that has brought some concern from critics. Another concern is that it will not be fully independent, because the members will be appointed by ministers.
There are also concerns about the timetable for cutting air pollution. They are reporting that a new plan will not be in place until October 2022. The government is claiming to take an “ambitious” approach against fine particle matter that damages the lungs, but apparently, they will wait before implementing new restrictions.
Ruth Chambers from the Greener UK Coalition talks about some of these concerns:
There are continuing concerns that ministers will decide the green watchdog’s budget and board, with a weaker legal status for environmental principles. This bill is not itself regressive – but it offers no legal guarantee to raise environmental standards in line with other nations in the future.
Kiera Box from Friends of the Earth recently voiced her concerns as well:
We welcome much of this bill, but we’re concerned about the OEP. It needs to have independent staff – not appointed by ministers. It needs a guarantee of multi-year funding and it needs complete organizational independence from Defra (the government environment department).
The new UK environmental bill is expected to help give people more say about street trees. Many trees have been cut down in Sheffield, and this should offer more protection from such in the future.
The bill will also support the government’s current 25-year plan to improve wildlife. They will look to help disturbed natural ecosystems through tree planting, and demanding developers improve conditions rather than destroying them.
Hopefully, the new Environmental Bill is going to increase the responsibility of companies creating plastic products, and they will start using plastic alternatives rather than continuing to add to the problem.
