Parliament’s Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Committee has launched an enquiry into the circular economy and issued a call for evidence on the Global Plastics Treaty.
The Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (EFRA) Committee says the enquiry will examine the UK Government’s progress in bringing about a more circular economy, and the work of key regulators to ensure that waste is sustainably managed.
The Committee says MPs will likely scrutinise collection and packaging reforms, reducing the use of single-use items and encouraging more ecological product designs, and international cooperation and waste exports.
Other topics highlighted by the Committee include growing domestic reuse, repair and recycling industries, efforts to lessen the environmental impact and use of landfill and incineration, and how to tackle waste crime.
The enquiry will first focus on the Global Plastics Treaty. The fifth round of negotiations for a new Global Plastics Treaty (Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee or INC-5) was intended to finish in November 2024 in South Korea.
However, the talks ended without an agreement and another round of negotiations (INC-5.2) is scheduled to take place between 5 and 14 August 2025 in Switzerland.
Plastic pollution is just one symptom of the broader problem of our linear economy, which is causing environmental damage as well as economic waste.
The EFRA Committee will hold an evidence session on plastic pollution in July where MPs will explore the key proposed elements of the Treaty, the UK’s leadership on the issues, and the barriers that need to be overcome to achieve an agreement in the August talks.
Chair of the EFRA Committee, Alistair Carmichael MP, commented: “Plastic pollution is just one symptom of the broader problem of our linear economy, which is causing environmental damage as well as economic waste.
“In this broad enquiry, we will scrutinise efforts to bring about a more circular economy and progress on developing circular economies across different sectors, including agriculture and organic wastes such as food.”
Ahead of the evidence session in July, the Committee has issued a call for evidence, with a deadline for submissions being 23:59 on Wednesday 18 June.
The call for evidence seeks views on:
- What were the main reasons for the INC-5 talks in November 2024 failing to reach an agreement on a Global Plastics Treaty?
- What are the main areas of agreement and divergence between parties?
- How might remaining areas of disagreement be overcome at INC-5.2 in August 2025?
- What would represent a successful outcome, and what are the prospects for this?
- What can the UK Government do to demonstrate leadership and drive ambition with regards to the proposed Treaty?
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