RECYCLING

Early day motion 314, tabled 15 July 2015 by Barry Sheerman (Labour/Co-operative). Signed by 46 members.

That this House notes that the average UK family throws away around 40 kilograms of recyclable plastic each year; further notes that recycling saves about 10 to 15 million tonnes of carbon emissions each year, equivalent to taking 3.5 million cars off the road; recognises that disposed waste is a major pollutant of the UK's beautiful countryside and it can take hundreds of years to decompose a plastic bottle, for example, taking around 500 years to decompose; and therefore calls on the Government to strengthen its commitment to recycling by imposing stricter and more effective levies on waste going to landfill, by working with the EU and local authorities to create effective incentive structures, and by encouraging businesses to participate in the circular economy.

Signatures by party: Scottish National Party 25, Labour 13, Labour/Co-operative 2, Plaid Cymru 2, DUP 1, Green 1, Liberal Democrat 1, Social Democratic and Labour Party 1.