£20m fund for plastics R&D 'won't stretch far'

On Tuesday 13 March, the UK chancellor of the exchequer Philip Hammond delivered the first spring statement to reveal any amends to the Treasury’s planned annual spend.

Coverage of environment and sustainability issues was scant, and IEMA’s chief policy advisor Martin Baxter said: “The fact that air quality and tackling single-use plastics are the environmental headlines is arguably reassuring, given they are high on the public, news and political agendas.”

He continued: “We’re pleased to see investments in critical areas. However, the £20m R&D fund promised to businesses and universities to reduce the impact of single-use plastics will not stretch far. Future levies that catalyse consumer behaviour change will likely have a more significant impact.”

Go to bit.ly/2DwrC7Q for the full statement

Image credit: Getty