THE BISHOP of Worcester joined businesses, MPs, faith leaders, academics and campaigning organisations to call on the Prime Minister to introduce legally binding targets to stem the growing tide of plastic pollution.
The Rt Rev Dr John Inge was among the names on the letter submitted before MPs were set to debate amendments to the Environment Bill in Parliament on Monday (January 25) before the bill was pushed back to the Autumn as a result of the ongoing Coronavirus crisis.
In their letter to Boris Johnson the group says while government schemes – such as the ban on plastic straws, stirrers and cotton buds – have had positive impacts, a more over-arching approach is needed to deal with the problem.
In particular, the Prime Minister is being urged to ensure that long-term and interim targets for cutting plastic pollution are included in the government’s flagship Environment Bill, which is currently passing through Parliament.
As well as Dr Inge, signatories to the letter include businesses such as Iceland and Neal’s Yard, MPs, faith leaders, academics and organisations such as Friends of the Earth, the WI, Surfers against Sewage, Keep Britain Tidy, City to Sea and Tearfund.
Although the government’s focus has rightly been on the coronavirus crisis over the past year, the plastic pollution problem has not gone away – and appears to have been exacerbated by the pandemic, with disposable face masks found on more than two thirds of recent Marine Conservation Society beach clean ups.
Friends of the Earth plastic campaigner Camilla Zerr said: “Despite the introduction of a few welcome measures, the government must go much further to stem the rising tide of plastic pollution pouring into our environment.
“Boris Johnson has a golden opportunity to get to grips with the crisis by ensuring that the Environment Bill contains legally-binding targets for reducing the amount of plastic waste polluting our planet every year
“The government has promised to be a world leader on the environment and set a gold standard for cutting down on plastic waste. Now it’s time to deliver.”
Amy Slack, Head of Campaigns and Policy at Surfers Against Sewage said: “During the COVID pandemic we have seen just how important our green and blue spaces are for people’s mental health and well-being.
“With the Environment Bill the government has a once in a generation opportunity to tackle this pollution at source by setting ambitious plastic pollution reduction targets.
“On behalf of ocean lovers all over the UK we are calling on the Prime Minister to take bold action on plastic for the benefit of people and the planet.”
