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Secretary of State questioned on resources and waste planning

17 December 2018

The Environmental Audit Committee evidence session focuses on Defra's plans for a renewed resources and waste strategy, particularly actions for tackling plastic waste and reform of the packaging system.

Witness

Wednesday 19 December 2018, Thatcher Room, Portcullis House

At 14.15

  • Rt Hon Michael Gove MP, Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

Background

Eighteen months ago, Environment Secretary Michael Gove announced a review of Defra's strategy on resources and waste with the aim to ‘improve incentives for reducing waste and litter and review the penalties available to deal with polluters'.

The Government's 25-year Environment Plan published in January 2018 committed to publishing a new Resources and Waste strategy this year. Aimed at making the UK a world leader in resource efficiency, it would set out the Government's approach to reduce waste, promote markets for secondary materials, incentivise producers to design better products, and better manage materials at the end of life by targeting environmental impacts.

The previous review of waste policies in the Government Review of Waste Policy in England 2011 set out principal commitments towards ‘a zero-waste economy'.

Further information

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