Councillor Phillip Hammond raised the issue of a 'plastic tax' following an increase in news and TV coverage regarding waste in the ocean in 2017, including on the recently-aired BBC Series, Blue Planet II.
According to Biopac, changing taxes as a way of reducing waste would punish the UK’s ‘thriving’ food to go market which it says relies on this form of packaging with no alternative.
The manufacturer suggested that the responsibility lies with the Government to provide suitable disposable routes similar to those already established in other European countries.
“The food to go sector has grown rapidly in recent years, producing a boom in single-use items, the UK’s waste management service has been unable to keep up with this change in use leading to the issues we currently face," said Biopac.
“We are happy to hear the issue of single-use disposables raised in parliament. Now that the Government is focussing on the problem, perhaps we can move towards a workable solution.
“Correct disposal is the key factor in reducing waste, this concerns both conventional plastics for recycling, and our own biodegradable ranges which are fully compostable and should not end up in landfill.
“As there is always likely to be a need for disposable products, what we must all address is the combined lack of consumer awareness and infrastructure in the UK.
“Disposal routes for composting and recycling are fragmented throughout the country, and vary depending on the local council’s thoughts towards waste.
"A modern system that can process both compostable products and conventional plastics is what the UK should aim for, by providing this, the “problem” of single-use plastics would largely be mitigated."