This article is more than 2 years old

This article is more than 2 years old

Everyday single-use plastic items such as disposable coffee cups, takeaway boxes and polystyrene packaging could be hit with charges akin to the 5p levy on plastic bags, the government has warned.

The Treasury said it was looking at changes to taxation and new levies to tackle plastic waste, but campaigners and politicians accused the government of delaying action.

The chancellor, Phllip Hammond, said: “We must take bold action to become a world leader in tackling the scourge of single-use plastic littering our streets, countryside and coastline.”

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The government has not made any new decisions on what products to impose charges on, but Hammond used his spring statement to launch a call for evidence asking industry, green groups and the public how best to reduce the amount of plastic rubbish.

Hammond was jeered by the opposition when announcing the call for evidence, with Labour MPs shouting “get on with it!”. Mary Creagh, the chair of the environment audit committee, accused the government of starting a process that would “drag on for years”.

The Treasury said the exercise would enable the government to “examine how changes to the tax system or the introduction of new charges could change the behaviour of companies and consumers to become more sustainable”.

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The government said it would consider a “latte levy” of 25p on the millions of disposable coffee cups used each year, “alongside other options”. The Treasury appears to be looking at potential changes to policies such as landfill tax, citing the success of the sugar tax in pushing soft-drinks makers to reformulate their products to reduce their sugar content.

Hammond also announced a review of the taxation regime for the most polluting vans. “We’ll help the great British white van driver go green with a consultation on reduced VED rates for the cleanest vans,” he said.



