Regulations to enable the creation of a deposit-return scheme for drinks containers in England and Northern Ireland have been approved by the House of Commons.
MPs voted overwhelmingly in favour of the controversial rules, which were laid in November.
Circular economy minister Mary Creagh told the House ahead of the vote: “The deposit return scheme is one of the three strands of our packaging reforms, along with extended producer responsibility for packaging and the Simpler Recycling programme for England.
“We estimate that, together, the packaging reforms will support 21,000 new green jobs in our nations and regions, and stimulate more than £10bn of investment in recycling capability over the next decade.”
Creagh pointed out that countryside charity CPRE estimated that the deposit return scheme would itself deliver 4,000 jobs.
“It is also estimated that the reforms will save over 46m tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent by 2035, valued at more than £10bn in carbon benefits,” she stated.
The Recycling Association in November called for the UK Government to “abandon” the “unnecessary” scheme after Wales broke away to plan its own version.
But trade body Alupro in December urged MPs to back a deposit return scheme and boost investment in recycling infrastructure.
