§ Mr. TredinnickTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what action he has taken to encourage the recycling of glass; and what new initiatives are planned. [8208]
§ Mr. ClappisonLast month we published "Making Waste Work", a strategy for sustainable waste management in England and Wales. A copy is in the House Library. This set out many of the initiatives we have taken to encourage recycling of a range of materials, including glass. As a result of these initiatives and others, there are now well over 17,000 bottle banks and 28 per cent. of glass containers were recycled in 1994.
9WFor the future, the glass industry is committed to achieving a 58 per cent. recycling rate for glass containers by the year 2000. To achieve this will require increased effort by consumers and local authorities as well as industry. The Government will support this effort in a number of ways, including legislation on producer responsibility for packaging which is intended to produce higher recovery and recycling rates for all packaging materials. We intend to publish draft regulations to implement this measure as soon as possible.