Through the Environment Act, the UK Government will set out to improve the UK’s air quality, restore natural habitats, increase biodiversity, reduce waste and ‘make better use of our resources’, the UK government says.
It will set out to halt the decline in species by 2030, require new developments to improve or create habitats for nature, and tackle deforestation overseas.
It will set out to help transition the UK to a more circular economy, incentivising people to recycle more, encouraging businesses to create sustainable packaging, making household recycling easier and stopping the export of polluting plastic waste to developing countries.
The Environment Act will deliver the most ambitious environmental programme of any country on earth
These changes will be driven by new legally binding environmental targets, and enforced by a new, independent Office for Environmental Protection (OEP) which will set out to hold government and public bodies to account on their environmental obligations.
Environment Secretary George Eustice said: “The Environment Act will deliver the most ambitious environmental programme of any country on earth. It will halt the decline of species by 2030, clean up our air and protect the health of our rivers, reform the way in which we deal with waste and tackle deforestation overseas.
“We are setting an example for the rest of the world to follow.”
On waste and resources, through the Act a number of initiatives will be introduced, including:
- Extend producer responsibility to make producers pay for 100% of cost of disposal of products, starting with plastic packaging
- A deposit Return Scheme for single use drinks containers
- Charges for single use plastics
- Greater consistency in recycling collections in England
- Electronic waste tracking to monitor waste movements and tackle fly-tipping
- Tackle waste crime
- Power to introduce new resource efficiency information (labelling on the recyclability and durability of products)
- Regulate shipment of hazardous waste
- Ban or restrict export of waste to non-OECD countries
‘We need strong laws’
Emma Howard Boyd CBE, Chair of the Environment Agency, said: “We need strong laws, investment by the private sector and clear, well-funded regulation to protect the environment. Without this, we will not see the progress we all want.
“The new legal targets for water in the Environment Act today will help wider efforts to tackle pollution, reduce demand for water and secure clean and plentiful water for all.
“It is good to see these laws pass as we work to protect the natural world, help people to stay safe from flooding and support communities, businesses and government to make the country more resilient to climate shocks.”
I am delighted that the Act creates the independent Office for Environmental Protection, and gives us the tools for our job…
The Office for Environmental Protection was set up in an interim, non-statutory form in July, providing independent oversight of the Government’s environmental progress and accelerating the foundation of the full body. The OEP will formally commence its statutory functions shortly, government says.
Dame Glenys Stacey, Chair of the OEP said: “The Environment Act is a cornerstone of the government’s ambitions to tackle ever more pressing environmental issues.
“I am delighted that the Act creates the independent Office for Environmental Protection, and gives us the tools for our job – to protect and improve the environment by holding government and public authorities to account. We are well underway with establishing a functionally independent, fully operational OEP from early in the new year.
“There has never been a more crucial time for us all to work to protect and improve our environment. The OEP will play its full part.”