Plastic reduction rather than recycling is key to solving the waste crisis

Letters to the editor: our readers share their views. Please send your letters to letters@independent.co.uk

‘The introduction of a deposit return scheme is the perfect opportunity to disincentivise the purchasing of plastic drinks bottles’ (Getty)

The prime minister in October told a group of school children that Britons should reduce their consumption of plastic rather than rely on recycling.

Whitehall is currently designing a deposit return scheme for drinks containers to come into force in England, Wales, and Northern Ireland. The introduction of a deposit return scheme is the perfect opportunity to disincentivise the purchasing of plastic drinks bottles.

In Scandinavia deposit return schemes are designed to dissuade consumers from purchasing those large plastic bottles that have been a leading driver of the waste crisis for decades. Danish consumers purchasing a small glass bottle or aluminium can of cola pay a deposit of around 11p for each container they buy. Shoppers wishing to purchase a 2l plastic bottle of the same drink pay a deposit of more than 30p. As a result, Danish shoppers are nudged to avoid problematic large plastic containers.

World leaders are looking to the UK to set the tone on plastic and the climate. Boris Johnson is right that plastic reduction rather than plastic recycling is key to solving the waste crisis. Britain’s deposit scheme should have a higher charge for large plastic bottles for the good of generations to come.

Peter Hall, director, Conservative Animal Welfare Foundation

Andrew Gwynne, Labour MP for Denton and Reddish

Ben Lake, Plaid Cymru MP for Ceredigion

Caroline Lucas, Green Party MP for Brighton Pavilion

Sammy Wilson, DUP MP for East Antrim

Lord Raj Loomba CBE, crossbench peer

Baroness Bakewell of Hardington Mandeville, Liberal Democrat peer

Lord Storey CBE, Liberal Democrat peer

Lord Thurlow, crossbench peer

Lord Whitty, Labour peer

Baroness Walmsley, Liberal Democrat peer

Lord Knight of Weymouth, Labour peer

Have we learnt nothing?

The revelations earlier this week (now seemingly distant history) about the farce surrounding the processing of asylum claims by the Foreign and Commonwealth Office have a chilling resonance of the position relating to people attempting to escape persecution in Europe by the Nazis in the late 1930s.

Even then bureaucracy seemed to be reluctant to act in any really helpful and humanitarian way. Eighty years on and similar attitudes seem to prevail within government agencies, despite all the platitudes about the evacuation of a relatively small number of people being treated by the government and prime minister as a triumph.

Philip N Mortimer

Bognor Regis

Reports about judgements and actions of senior staff in both the Foreign Office and government advisers does make one question the suitability of staff appointed to such well-paid jobs, and the wisdom of those who appointed them. Those given such responsibility must recognise the need for honesty, integrity and good judgement. The respective individuals must be appropriately punished as their actions influence all their junior staff and affect the reputation of the country as a whole.

J Longstaff

East Sussex

If you could just pause a moment, Covid

I received an invitation to attend my graduation ceremony at the University of London yesterday. The ceremony will be held today. It reads: “We’re also asking all those attending to wear face coverings during the day too, unless they are eating, drinking, taking photos or crossing the stage to receive their award. Please do help us do all we can to keep everyone safe.”

Does the coronavirus disappear when someone is eating or drinking, taking photos or crossing the stage to receive their certification? A bizarre understanding of the virus indeed.

Dr Munjed Farid Al Qutob

London NW2

Times change

In 1963, John Profumo lied to the House of Commons and then resigned as secretary of state for war. In 2021, Boris Johnson continues to lie to the House of Commons but is still prime minister. Why?

Sam Boote

Nottingham

Wanted: politicians who care

How much lying and deceit has to happen before we are rid of Boris Johnson and his pals? One hopes those who voted Tory for the first time in 2019 now realise the contempt the Tory party has for non-wealthy people. If they are not contemptuous, why do they allow Johnson, Priti Patel, Dominic Raab et al to continue in power?

Every day brings some new disreputable story about this bunch, including contempt for the law. They are not concerned about the number of Covid infections, or how many die, just so long as they can persuade people to go out and spend money. If these MPs lose their jobs they will still find lucrative work outside of parliament, in fact they will probably earn much more.

Our broken electoral system needs reform. We need grown up politicians who will work together to ensure everyone is treated fairly and with compassion. The UK is in a very bad way at home and abroad. Come on you MPs in other parties, if you care and entered politics to make a difference, show us.

Sandra Kelly

Worthing

The public’s revulsion over the Christmas party scandal really could be a watershed moment for Boris Johnson and his Tory party, as the public’s patience with its sleaze, decadence and deception finally wears thin.

Yet, as Andrew Grice reminds us (Voices, 8 December), there have been so many other false dawns, whether politically escaping from that “oven-ready” Brexit deal, Barnard Castle, wallpaper donations or dubious appointments of cronies to the House of Lords. So why not another narrow escape?

Perhaps this time there will be a real reckoning in that next week, virtually on the second anniversary of the general election, it is Johnson and his lamentable conduct that will face the electors’ real verdict in the Tories’ 23,000 majority fiefdom of North Shropshire.

Paul Dolan

Northwich

We are the problem

The latest bird flu outbreak must be a wake-up call and remind everyone that the way we treat animals has to change (‘Concern over growing spread in “largest ever” bird flu outbreak,’ 9 December).

The human appetite for animal-derived products has caused outbreaks of viruses like Covid-19,  Sars, swine flu, and bird flu. Even on “free-range” farms, sick, miserable birds are forced to live in crowded sheds, transported to the slaughterhouse in filthy lorries, and killed in front of each other on floors soaked with blood, faeces, and urine. Viruses spread and mutate rapidly in these conditions – and can easily jump to other species, including humans.

Wherever animals are bred, intensively confined, and killed, humans risk creating another pandemic. So the answer is simple: eat vegan. Every person who does spares almost 200 animals every year and could help prevent the next pandemic.

Natalie Tambini

People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (Peta)