§ Mr. Skeetasked the Secretary of State for the Environment, of the 531 million wine and spirit bottles used in 1972 in the United Kingdom, what percentage went to waste after use or were recycled as cullet; and what proposals he has for the avoidance of the loss of this element of national resources.
§ Mr. MoyleI have been asked to reply.
No figures are available on the proportion of used wine and spirit bottles going to waste or recycled as cullet.
My Department is keeping in close touch with a study recently started by the drinks manufacturers to examine the possibility of reusing or recycling empty bottles. The results of this study are expected by the middle of the summer. The Government are also actively considering machinery to provide a greater degree of 182W co-ordination on waste reclamation as a whole.
§ Mr. Skeetasked the Secretary of State for the Environment, of milk bottles used at the latest date for which figures are available, what percentage of rejected bottles were returned as cullet.
§ Mr. MeacherI have been asked to reply.
I regret that this information is not available.
§ Mr. Skeetasked the Secretary of State for the Environment what tonnage of milk bottles is produced in the United Kingdom annually and similar figures for plastic milk cartons which are designed for rejection after use; and if he will further indicate the average number of times a 12 oz. milk bottle is likely to be used.
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§ Mr. MeacherI have been asked to reply.
The annual production of glass milk bottles is about 167,000 tons. Similar details for non-returnable plastic containers are not available. The life of a glass milk bottle averages 25 trips.