Consultation launched on plans to reduce single use plastics in Wales

The Welsh Deputy Minister for Housing and Local Government, Hannah Blythyn, has launched a consultation on the Welsh Government’s proposals to ban a range of single use plastic items.

Ahead of a beach clean in Anglesey, which was the first local authority in Wales to be given plastic free status, Hannah Blythyn said she wanted to hear from the people of Wales on how the country can be at the forefront of the global drive to tackle the plastic waste problem.

Deputy Minister for Housing and Local Government, Hannah Blythyn said: “Plastic pollution and the impact it has on our environment is regularly highlighted in the media, online and in conversations I have every day with people across Wales. It blights our communities and has a devastating impact on our wildlife.

As plastic free July comes to an end and Wales emerges from lockdown, I want to hear from communities all over Wales on how we can work together to tackle litter and reduce our reliance on single plastics.

“As plastic free July comes to an end and Wales emerges from lockdown, I want to hear from communities all over Wales on how we can work together to tackle litter and reduce our reliance on single plastics.

“The consultation I am launching today is an important step towards this ambition and the proposals it sets out will play an important part in our green recovery.

“Communities have led the way when it comes to reducing plastic waste. I hope the people of Wales will now take the opportunity to respond to this consultation and help us move forward on our journey towards a litter free Wales.”

Single-use plastic

The Welsh Government’s ambition is for a Wales free from ‘unnecessary, single use plastics’. If the proposals are implemented, a range of single use, ‘hard to recycle and commonly littered plastic items’, such as straws, cotton buds, polystyrene food and drinks containers would be banned.

During the different and difficult period of the COVID-19 lock-down, many people across Wales had a rare opportunity to rediscover and gain a greater appreciation of their local areas.

However, with restrictions easing, littering has become more prominent, the Welsh Government says.

The proposals set out in the consultation set out to build on the efforts of communities across Wales to go plastic free by removing highly littered plastics from the supply chain and, therefore, the environment.

This consultation marks the next phase of an ongoing journey which we hope will lead to a series of bold policy actions by government to reduce plastic at source

Many businesses are already responding to the consumer demand for more sustainable products and our proposals seek to accelerate this shift.

Lesley Jones, CEO Keep Wales Tidy said: “We welcome the launch of this important Welsh Government consultation. The damage caused by plastics is far reaching and we are eager to see a drive towards reusable alternatives across society.

“We have seen some big changes in plastic consumption and recognise the work being done by a number of major Welsh businesses and organisations to reduce the plastic that they use and include in their products, but there is still a long way to go.

“This consultation marks the next phase of an ongoing journey which we hope will lead to a series of bold policy actions by government to reduce plastic at source.”

Privacy Overview
Circular Online

This website uses cookies so that we can provide you with the best user experience possible. Cookie information is temporarily stored in your browser and helps our team to understand which sections of the website you find most interesting and useful.

More information about our Cookie Policy

Strictly Necessary Cookies

Strictly necessary cookies allow core website functionality and the website cannot be used properly without them. These cookies include session cookies and persistent cookies.

Session cookies keep track of your current visit and how you navigate the site. They only last for the duration of your visit and are deleted from your device when you close your browser.

Persistent cookies last after you’ve closed your Internet browser and enable our website to recognise you as a repeat visitor and remember your actions and preferences when you return.

Functional cookies

Third party cookies include performance cookies and targeting cookies.

Performance cookies collect information about how you use a website, e.g. which pages you go to most often, and if you get error messages from web pages. These cookies don’t collect information that identifies you personally as a visitor, although they might collect the IP address of the device you use to access the site.

Targeting cookies collect information about your browsing habits. They are usually placed by advertising networks such as Google. The cookies remember that you have visited a website and this information is shared with other organisations such as media publishers.

Keeping these cookies enabled helps us to improve our website and display content that is more relevant to you and your interests across the Google content network.

Send this to a friend