UK’s newly proposed strategy ‘polluter pay’

The UK is introducing new waste strategies that, among other rules, will require retailers and producers of packaging to pay the full cost of collecting and recycling it. Grocery stores and other retailers could be charged penalties for putting difficult to recycle packaging on the market as part of the strategy which aims to make the “polluter pay”. They would be charged lower fees for packaging that’s easy to reuse or recycle. Currently UK residents, like Americans, are responsible for costs associated with recycling packaging and sending items to the landfill. Recycling advocates are hailing the decision because it puts the full cost and responsibility on the producer, and reduces packaging and food waste. It’s way past time for the United States to put the responsibility of reducing packaging waste on the producer and not the consumer.

UK’s newly proposed strategy ‘polluter pay’