Page 43 - Plastics News January 2022

INTERNATIoNAL NEwS

UK Bans Ketchup Sachets And Milk Pots As Oceana Reports 29%

With SUP Rise In Plastic Pollution

ceana, non-
Oprofit ocean
c ons e r v at ion
organisation has
reported a 29%
rise in plastic
pollution from
Amazon deliveries.
According to the report levels of plastic
pollution caused by online retailer
Amazon’s deliveries increased by 29%
over the course of a year. The report
revealed that up to 23.5 million pounds
of the retailer’s plastic packaging found
ingle-serve sachets of ketchup, extra for them in 2015. The Government
Smayonnaise and other condiments launched a call for evidence in November its way into waterways and oceans last
may be banned under new measures on how to tackle pollution from common year, in turn polluting the world’s water
designed to cut down on the use of single-use plastic items such as sachets, bodies. Surveying 1,400 Amazon Prime
plastic packaging. Restaurants and wet wipes and coffee cups., and stated customers across 25 cities, Oceana
takeaways will not be able to offer the at the time options included a ban. A found that only 39% of the respondents
sachets to their customers, under plans Government source told The Times delivered plastic from their packages
being drawn up by the Department for that a ban on plastic sachets was being into municipal recycling bins, while
Environment, Farming and Rural Affairs. considered because "alternatives do exist 91% of the respondents urged Amazon
Plastic plates, mini milk pots and popular and sachets are very problematic". The to reduce the use of plastic packaging.
extras such as salad dressing could also be British Takeaway Campaign and the Oceana said that this proved Amazon’s
affected by the ban. The measures are an Federation of Small Businesses agreed recycling promises were not helping to
attempt to cut down on plastic waste that that single-use plastics had to be reduced, reduce plastic pollution. Oceana Strategic
cannot easily be recycled and ends up in however stressed that businesses needed Initiatives senior vice-president Matt
landfill or the sea, according to a report time to find alternatives. There have Littlejohn said: “Our report found that
in The Times newspaper. Plastic sachets been some efforts to create plastic-free Amazon’s plastic packaging pollution
are particularly problematical because of replacements for sauce and condiment problem is growing at a frightening
their small size and heavy contamination packets, including biodegradable rate at a time when the oceans need
with food. This makes them difficult to sauce packets out of brown seaweed, corporate leaders like Amazon to step
segregate and clean, meaning they are which were trialled at the London up and meaningfully commit to reducing
unlikely to be recycled. A ban would Marathon in 2019. Heinz has also their use of single-use plastic. “Amazon
follow on from plastic straws, stirrers offered biodegradable ketchup packets has shown it can do this in large markets
and cotton buds, which became illegal in made from seaweed and these have been like India and Germany. It now needs
to commit to doing so worldwide.” The
2020, except for in a handful of specific trialled by takeaway delivery firm Just advocacy group has urged Amazon
circumstances. The Government is also Eat. The Plastic Packaging Tax comes to commit to cutting down its use of
considering adding to changes on plastic into force in April and is designed to plastic packaging across the world, as it
bags, which increased to 10p from 5p in encourage the use of more recycled has already done in Germany and India.
May last year and now applies to every plastic. The new tax will apply to plastic Amazon spokesperson said: “Amazon
retailer, from giant supermarket chains packaging produced in, or imported into, shares Oceana’s ambition to protect the
to corner shops. Plastic bag usage has the UK that does not contain at least 30% world’s oceans and respects their work
fallen by an amazing 95 per cent since recycled plastic.
supermarkets began having to charge but they have flawed in thei calculation."

42 PLASTICS NEWS JANUARY 2022 43 PLASTICS NEWS JANUARY 2022