Berlin, 27 September 2018. As part of its 2018 initiative to cut down on the use of single-use items where feasible, or to substitute them with more sustainable alternatives, the Parliament of the United Kingdom has rolled out a new range of bio-based, certified compostable catering items, such as coffee cups, soup containers and salad boxes in the House of Commons and the House of Lords.
New waste bins will be installed to capture used compostable items. The waste will be sent to an organic recycling facility, which will create high quality compost from it.
The introduction of compostable products is one of several measures to be realised in the Houses by 2019. The first phase of the Parliament’s plan, for example, saw the introduction of re-usable coffee cups earlier this year. On top of that, plans to stop selling bottled water in the Parliament will come into effect in October.
’The UK Parliament is leading the way with its initiative, showing that certified compostable plastics have a role to play in our efforts to improve sustainability’, states Hasso von Pogrell, Managing Director of European Bioplastics. ’The concepts of prevention, re-use, single-use and sound waste management need to be optimally combined to make sustainability and circularity happen’.
Downloads:
Press release (english): Compostable plastics part of UK Parliament’s sustainability initiative, 27 September 2018 (PDF file)
Press release (german): Kompostierbare Kunststoffe teil der Nachhaltigkeitsinitiative des britischen Parlaments, 27. September 2018 (PDF file)
Press release UK Parliament: UK Parliament to dramatically reduce plastic use through new compostable products, 20 September 2018 (online)