Norfolk environmentalist calls for national education on recycling
In England, Northern Ireland and Scotland, an estimated 30 billion single-use drinks containers are brought each year, say the Government
Last updated 2nd Feb 2025
A environmental activist in Norfolk is telling us a national education campaign is needed on the importance of recycling.
A bottle-return scheme- similar to those in Germany, Sweden and Ireland- is being rolled out from October 2027- with the Government saying this will help put an end to today's "throwaway society".
"We really need to up our game nationally on this"
Gary Champion is from the Green Party and sits on Norwich City Council:
"This is a global issue and there have been international agreements at the United Nations to deal with plastic and to look at it in a bigger way.
"We really need to up our game nationally on this, by increasing our capacity to recycle.
He says small mistakes can have a big impact:
"If you imagine the bin lorry coming down the street and collecting everyone's blue bins, it just requires a few houses where they haven't emptied their pizza boxes or rinsed their tins, for that whole set of rubbish to go into landfill".
Why's the Government introducing this scheme?
A Spokesperson for the Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs said:
"Across England, Northern Ireland and Scotland, consumers buy an estimated 30 billion single-use drinks containers each year - including 12 billion plastic drinks bottles and 13 billion drinks cans.
An estimated 6.5 billion single-use drinks bottles and cans per year go to waste rather than being recycled, with many ending up littered.
Delivering these reforms and driving investment in the recycling sector delivers on the Government's Plan for Change through kickstarting growth, ensuring economic stability, greater efficiency, and jobs fit for the future".
"A vital step"
Circular Economy Minister Mary Creagh said:
"This is a vital step as we stop the avalanche of rubbish that is filling up our streets, rivers and oceans and protect our treasured wildlife.
"Turning trash into cash also delivers on our Plan for Change by kickstarting clean growth, ensuring economic stability, more resilient supply chains, and new green jobs."