To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs, pursuant to AQW 5437/17-22, for an update on whether legislation on a Deposit Return Scheme and an Extended Producer Responsibility Scheme will be introduced to help increase the rate of plastic recycling.

My Department has been working alongside GB colleagues to develop proposals for a Deposit Return Scheme (DRS) for drinks containers and an Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) Scheme for packaging materials with a view to public consultation in 2021. Legislation will be worked up following the outcome of that consultation. The intention is for both schemes to include plastic packaging materials.

Alongside making it easier to recycle difficult to recycle packaging materials and tackling litter, the aim of both DRS and EPR is to increase our current recycling of packaging in general, and core materials (paper, glass, aluminium, steel, wood and plastic) in particular.