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Waste services manager visits Parliament

Bins, Waste and Recycling
10:58, Thursday, 15th November 2018

Group Manager for Waste Services at North Lincolnshire Council, John Coates attended the Zero Plastic Waste round table discussion at the House of Lords last week.

John was invited to attend in his role as material specialist for plastics for LARAC (Local Authority Recycling Advisory Committee).

Chaired by Lord Teverson, the meeting considered how retailers can offer customers reduced plastic packaging options in store, how on-pack labelling and education campaigns can help people make informed choices about plastic packaging and its recyclability. Both of these helping to minimise the amount of unrecyclable plastic becoming waste and maximise the collection and reprocessing of recyclable plastics from consumer waste.

Others that attended the meeting included DEFRA, MPs, food retailers, academics and Marine Conservation Society, plus others.

The findings of the round table will be used to engage with DEFRA over the practical steps that can be taken in policy terms to support the aims of the Government’s 25 year Environment Strategy published in early 2018.

John Coates, said:

“It was a really productive day and I was delighted to be given the opportunity to contribute to the national debate about the problem with plastic. We discussed what practical steps local councils can take to help reduce its impact on the environment and enable the reuse of recyclable plastic in everyday products.

“Plastic waste is very much in the public mind at the moment and it is vital that steps are taken to make improvements.”

The Zero Plastic Waste project is part of the Government’s ambition to be the first generation to leave the environment in a better state than we found it and pass on to the next generation a natural environment protected and enhanced for the future.