Tag: Environmental Audit Committee

UK Government Rejects Environmental Audit Committee Recommendations

Stuart Mitchell

The Government has refused to take any decisive action on the complex issue of coffee cups – including the introduction of a ‘latte levy’ – and has instead chosen to rely on voluntary commitments. The Environmental Audit Committee has also announced today that it has asked the National Audit Office to inquire into the Government’s oversight of the Packaging Recovery Note scheme, to further scrutinise UK recycling policy. Environmental Audit Committee Chair, Mary Creagh MP: “The UK’s throwaway culture is having a devastating impact on our streets, beaches and seas.…

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UK MPs seek answers from pension funds on climate risk

Stuart Mitchell

The Chair of the cross-party Environmental Audit Committee has written to the top 25 pension funds in the UK to ask how they manage the risks that climate change poses to pension savings. The letters form part of the Committee’s enquiry into Green Finance. It follows an admission from the Department for Work and Pensions – in a letter also published – that there is widespread misunderstanding amongst trustees on the scope of their fiduciary duty in relation to environmental risks. Mary Creagh MP, Chair of the Environmental Audit Committee…

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Starbucks to trial paper cup charge in 25 London stores

Stuart Mitchell

Starbucks has announced that it will trial a 5p charge on disposable cups across 25 of its London stores. The trial is set to last months, and its purpose is to assess the effectiveness of a charge on disposable cups. Starbucks were the first to create a reusable cup incentive which was implemented in 1998 at 10p before upping it to 25p in 2008. In 2016, as a way to heighten awareness and to promote reusability Starbucks extended the cup discount to 50p for a few months. Starbucks now estimate…

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MPs call for “latte levy” on coffee cups

Stuart Mitchell

An Environmental Audit Committee report out today says a cup charge should help pay for improved recycling facilities. It says if 100% of single-use cups aren’t recycled by 2023 then there should be an outright ban on providing them. The report says: The UK throws away 2.5 billion disposable coffee cups Environmental Audit Committee Chair, Mary Creagh MP, said:  “The UK throws away 2.5 billion disposable coffee cups every year; enough to circle the planet five and a half times. Almost none are recycled and half a million a day…

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