• Government announce that plastic bag sales have fallen by 90% since the introduction of the 5p charge
• REA welcome the announcement as a success story for Government, industry and consumer cooperation
• Despite the fall in carrier bag sales, plastic contamination in garden waste costs the industry millions of pounds a year
• REA urges the Government to turn their attention to removing plastics from garden waste collection going to compost to preserve soil quality

The Government has today announced that the sale of single-use plastic bags from the largest retailers have fallen 90% following the introduction of the 5p charge on single use carrier bags in 2015.

The REA welcomes this news as a remarkable achievement for the UK and the environment as well as a shining example of how much can be accomplished when Government, industry and consumers cooperate.

Despite the fall in plastic bag sales, plastic remains a prominent issue in the environment and our garden waste collections. Every year the composting industry spend millions of pounds removing and disposing of plastic from garden waste collections that should not be there in the first place. As well as costing the industry millions, plastic in garden waste collections is having a negative impact on the quality of our compost.

The REA urge the Government to drive behavioural change in households to reduce plastic in garden waste by backing our campaign by publicising and communicating clear and concise messaging on garden waste recycling.
Commenting on the announcement, Jeremy Jacobs Technical Director at the REA said:

“Plastic bag sales falling by 90% since the introduction of the 5p charge is an extraordinary feat. It’s a testament to what can be achieved when Government, industry and consumers throw their weight behind an initiative.”

“Whilst a huge step in the battle against contamination and single use plastics, the war is not yet over. Unwanted plastics are still prevalent in household garden waste collections and this is having a detrimental impact on the quality of composts. It is imperative that we apply the same pace of change to removing plastics in garden waste as we have in cutting single-use carrier bags.”

The REA’s subsidiary company, Renewable Energy Assurance Limited (REAL) manages the certification schemes aligned with PAS 100, PAS110 and the Quality Protocols. These are recognised and established standards within the organics recycling sector which enable waste-derived composts and digestates to be used as products in a wide range of markets. REAL also manages the Compostable Packaging schemes. The REA will also be building upon these by releasing our ‘Target Zero’ campaign, guidance aimed at helping households correctly dispose of garden waste and food and garden waste combined to eradicate plastic contamination.

—ENDS—

For more information or to request an interview, please contact:

Hayley Allen
External Affairs Officer
+44 (0)20 7981 0862
[email protected]

Notes to editors

• The Government announcement on the 90% slash in plastic bag sales can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/government/news/plastic-bag-sales-down-90-since-introduction-of-5p-charge
• Information on the PAS 100 and PAS 110 Certification Schemes can be found here: http://www.renewableenergyassurance.org.uk/

About the Renewable Energy Association (REA)

The REA is the UK’s largest trade association for renewable energy and clean technologies with around 550 members operating across heat, transport, and power. The REA is a not-for-profit organisation that represents renewable energy and clean technology companies operating in over fourteen sectors, ranging from biogas and renewable fuels to solar and electric vehicle charging. Membership ranges from major multinationals to sole traders.

For more information, visit: www.r-e-a.net

for Battery Electric Vehicles in their recent changes to the grant scheme and it is excellent to see continued strong consumer demand for them.