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5p Plastic Bag Charge in the UK
5p Plastic Bag Charge in the UK
As of 5th October 2015, there is now a 5p charge on each carrier bag taken when shopping. Whether doing the weekly food shop or buying some new clothes, the plastic carrier bags readily available from shops previously for free will now carry a minimum charge of 5p per bag used.
Why is this charge being introduced?
With the environment an ongoing concern for governments, bodies and the general public around the country as well as the rest of the world, there are constant efforts to better the state of the environment. Coming from the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, the move comes with the aim of stopping the unnecessary use of plastic carrier bags, along with the tonnes of litter they account for each year that has such damaging effects on our wildlife and greater ecological systems.
This newest initiative hopes to see a 75 per cent decrease in carrier bag usage in the coming years, with the treasury set to gain an impressive £19m each year from this scheme. As well as this, the money saved in litter clean-up costs is expected to be around £60m, with overall generation of profit from the scheme being around £730m. This money will be used towards charitable organisations and other good causes; a worthy result for such a simple change in consumer behaviour.
Exemptions
Though the majority of goods bought from shops do not merit the free use of a carrier bag, some – by law – will continue to be offered with a free plastic carrier bag, whether this be for purposes of hygiene or safety. These exemptions include:
- Bags intended for the purpose of containing wholly or partly unwrapped food for human or animal consumption (food safety purposes)
- Bags intended for carrying goods in transit (convenience purposes)
- Bags to hold prescription medicines (legal privacy requirements of pharmacists and confidentiality)
- Bags intended for the containment of wholly or partly unwrapped blades (for safety)
As well as these exemptions, reusable carrier bags which can be purchased from shops and supermarkets will be charged a certain amount but, when brought along by customers, will not be charged for their usage. Indeed when purchasing one of these bags, the 5p charge will not be additional to their existing cost. The purchase of a reusable shopping bag has always been highly encouraged, and now with the introduction of this charge it could not only save on environmental impact but also save customers a large amount of money in the long term.
With the charge now in effect, consumers can no longer have the excuse of putting off their environmentally conscious shopping habits and opting for reusable shopping bags over plastic ones. Though 5p may not seem a huge amount on one occasion, just a few large food shops could see the pounds stacking up which, in our finance-conscious economy, is something the consumer is bound to be put off by.
Full details on guidelines for retailers can be found on GOV.UK.
Here at Brown Recycling, we are committed to doing our bit for the environment, which is why we adhere to our zero-to-landfill commitment wherever is possible. For waste collection or recycling at your commercial or domestic property throughout Stoke and the surrounding areas, contact our friendly team today and we’ll be happy to help find the right solution for you to ensure you and your premises are as environmentally friendly as can be.
Got any burning questions?
You can ask us a question online using our contact form. Simply provide your name, email (purely for confirmation purposes) and the details of your enquiry, and we’ll get back to you as soon as possible.
What our clients say about us
“We are hugely grateful to Brown Recycling for their help on DIY SOS: The Big Build in Stoke. Dave and the team went above and beyond to clear the site and then bring in other suppliers who also supported this great cause. Thanks to the generosity of countless suppliers and volunteers, Stoke now has a community centre that will support its residents for many years to come.”
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Excellent service on a recent Hazardous waste removal from one of our sites. Paddy and Stacey wasted no time in arranging for our waste to be removed in surprisingly quick turnaround. 10/10...
1 week ago -
Hired a skip to clear a huge pile of garden waste. Arrived on time, picked up bang on time, dead easy to book and pay. Courteous, helpful drivers. Job done! just as it should be, without drama. Highly...
1 month ago -
Very professional service and the customer service team are very helpful and knowledgeable. We have been working with browns and using their services for a number of years and cannot fault it. Very co...
1 month ago -
Terry was very efficient. We will use brown for skips again...
2 months ago -
Had problems with getting the skip into our drive but Browns persisted and 3 trucks later the 3rd driver got the job done. Incredible service from a very professional and competent company. Special me...
2 months ago -
Really efficient service, competitive price and they dropped off skip exactly where we asked them to. Easy to book a skip over the weekend using their online booking system. Very helpful when we nee...
3 months ago -
I ordered a skip at short notice and it arrived as requested. Having finished with it early Terry came and collected it very promptly which freed up the driveway. A Good service and reasonably priced....
3 months ago -
Brilliant service - I booked for the wrong date, but Browns were really helpful and changed the booking at the last minute....
4 months ago -
We chose Brown Recycling because out of the firms we rang the lady on the end of the phone knew exactly what we needed and was very helpful. ( Yes you can place a skip in a council paying car park) A...
5 months ago -
A big thanks to Phil, always helpful and polite when collecting cardboard, nothing too much trouble ....
5 months ago -
Christie has been great in providing us with a total review of our waste services on site. If you are looking at reviewing your waste service then I would highly recommend that you reach out to her as...
6 months ago -
really fast and a easy process. Thank you Christie...
6 months ago -
Christie has been most helpful and informative whilst booking a new service for plastic and general waste recycling. Would recommend :)...
6 months ago -
Christie was very helpful, she managed the whole process very efficiently and met our expectations. We now have the service and commercial offering we need for our business waste. We would recommend...
9 months ago -
Quick and really reliable service.... was a pleasure dealing with Christie!!!...
9 months ago -
Requested amendment to current waste collection. Very helpful and was able to answer all queries and adapt to our requirements. Definitely recommend...
10 months ago -
We had a visit today from Mark and Andy dropping off our new waste bin. I would just like to acknowledge their outstanding customer service. They disposed of the built up waste that we had gathered si...
11 months ago -
Full marks to Andy and Mark. Went above and beyond today and would highly recommend them to anybody looking to recycle large quantities of waste. Professional, efficient and very approachable...
11 months ago -
First time using Browns, they were clear, efficient and got the job done. Will continue to use their services....
1 year ago -
New to sorting a bin service for our new business. Christie and Brown Recyling has been great with helping us select the right type of bin required as well as not overspending for the sake of it. He...
1 year ago -
Super easy to set up a long term skip hire, Christie made things nice and clear and the prices were good too! everything was ready to go really quick, highly recommend Browns...
1 year ago