Trade bodies call for £200 per tonne landfill tax in Budget

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Seven trade bodies representing the plastics industry have written to Chancellor George Osborne to ask him to increase landfill tax to £200 per tonne by 2020.

Ahead of the Budget on 19 March, the trade associations also called for a withdrawal of the proposed 5p charge for plastic carrier bags in England.

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On landfill tax, the letter said: “This year you will increase the standard rate of landfill tax by £8 per tonne from 1 April. The UK is among the worst in the EU for relying on landfill. Landfill capacity is running out and it is essential to drive recyclable waste away from landfilling, bringing back into use valuable resources.

“We do urge you to greatly increase landfill tax to £200 per tonne certainly by 2020, to drive recyclable waste from landfill.

“Some of the increased receipts for the Treasury could be used as grants to stimulate investment in more recycling and energy from waste facilities.”

On the carrier bag charge, the letter added: “We have previously alerted you to Defra’s proposed 5p charge for plastic carrier bags, knee-jerk gesturism announced by the Deputy Prime Minister which will impact on hard pressed households.

“Defra have ignored the high 70 per cent reuse of such bags and their minimal environmental impact. The Commons Environmental Audit Committee have savaged Defra for exaggerating the environmental impact and exempting paper and bio-bags.

“We hope the Government will withdraw this proposal and steer clear of other similar flawed ideas.”

The letter was signed by the British Plastics Federation, Packaging & Films Association, British Rubber & Polyurethane Products Association, Gauge & Toolmakers Association, British Coatings Federation, Scottish Plastics & Rubber Association and Northern Ireland Polymers Association.