This petition was submitted during the 2019-2024 parliament

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Petition Ban plastic packaging for fruit and vegetables

France and Spain have recently pledged to ban plastic packaging for fruit and vegetables from January 2022. We want the UK Government to follow suit and reduce unnecessary plastic waste.

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Plastic waste does not biodegrade. It gets into the environment, into the oceans and can cause injury or death to animals. Even if recycled properly, plastic packaging needs to be managed by the local council. Reducing the amount we purchase would reduce this burden and save taxpayers money. Fruit and veg is often transported long distances without plastic and packaged for sale to enhance presentation. It is not needed to protect the fruit.

This petition is closed This petition ran for 6 months

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MPs call for ban on all plastic waste exports

MPs on the House of Commons Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Committee have called for a ban on the export of all plastic waste from the UK by 2027 to reduce the country's contribution to global plastic waste pollution. 

Read a summary of the Committee's report on plastic waste

Report on ending the impact of plastic waste

Earlier this month, the Committee published a report on the impact of plastic waste and ways of reducing it. In their report, MPs called on the Government to restrict the amount of plastic that can be exported from the UK. They also called on the Government to step up the enforcement of existing rules to prevent criminal gangs illegally exporting and dumping UK-produced waste. 

The report follows a series of evidence sessions earlier this year, where the Committee questions representatives from charities, environmental campaigners and commercial trade experts. At these sessions the Committee explored:

  • whether the Government’s current ambitions to reduce plastic waste were enough
  • how alternatives to plastic consumption can be identified and supported
  • how England's current plastic exports impact other countries.

Find out more about the Committee's inquiry into plastic waste and read oral evidence from the Committee's inquiry.

What is the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Committee? 

The Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Committee is a cross-party group of backbench MPs that scrutinises the administration, spending and policy of the Government’s Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs. 

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